THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS OF THE DISCUSSED FILM. READERS DISCRETION IS ADVISED.
When you hear about a movie of monsters from outer space invading Planet Earth, you think you've seen them all and can't be topped. I felt that in some way, but in 2018, another one of its kind brought new life to a common platform.
PLOT
A Quiet Place takes place in an aftermath of an alien invasion. The nameless and armored figures are blind and hypersensitive, track only by the loudest noise. On Day 89, we follow the Abbott family who speak through ASL, American Sign Language. The family includes: The father Lee, the mother Evelyn, the deaf daughter Regan, the oldest son Marcus and the youngest named Beau. They find supplies at an abandoned grocery store, but Beau finds a batter powered toy space shuttle. Lee takes the toy and removes the batteries, reminding him that it is too loud to play with. Regan doesn't want her brother to be sad, so she gives him back the toy. But she makes the mistake of not taking the batteries. As they cross the bridge, Beau plays with the toy and it goes off. Lee rushes to save his son, but a monster gets to him first. Fast forward to day 472, the Abbotts live as quiet as possible at a farm. Regan has since grown guilt over her brother's death. The next day, Lee gives her an implant that's supposed to improve hearing, only she discovers to not work at all. The day after that, he and Marcus go to a waterfall to teach him how to fish. As Regan gets jealous of not being invited, she abandons her mother to visit Beau's memorial. At the waterfall, Marcus shares to his dad how guilty Regan has felt. But he assures that it wasn't her fault. As they return home, they encounter an older man who just lost his wife to the creatures. He chooses to take his own life by screaming so loud that another creature would find him and kill him as well. Thankfully, the Abbotts avoid the conflict with their silence. Alone at home, Evelyn's water has broken twenty days ahead of the due date. When she goes to the basement downstairs, she accidentally steps on a nail on the stairs. Just as she gasps in pain, she drops a picture frame, which alerts the creatures to her home. She turns on the red lights around the farm, alerting the family that they have intruders. When Lee takes notice of the red lights, he tells Marcus to make a louder noise with fireworks, to distract the monsters. Just as that happens, Evelyn goes into labor in the upstairs bathroom. When Lee searches for his wife, he finds her to successfully give birth to their newborn son. He takes them both to a soundproof basement under the barn. He puts the baby in a box strapped with an oxygen tank, in order for it to not alert the monsters. As Evelyn is settled, Lee goes out to find the kids. She doesn't stay long because the basement gets flooded due to a broken pipe. She and the baby are able to escape with their lives and return to the house as another creature had infiltrated. As Regan returns home after noticing the fireworks, her implant reacts to the proximity of the creature, by emitting a high frequency sound, causing it to flee. She reunites with Marcus and they take refuge on a grain silo. They attempt to get Lee's attention by fire, but they run out of lighter fluid and the fire they start doesn't last long enough for him to notice. Marcus accidentally falls into the silo but thankfully, Regan saves him and prevents him from drowning. Just as they escape, they avoid another creature. When they reunite with their father, they hide from the closest car. When Lee gets attacked by one, he is wounded. Marcus shouts impulsively when he notices the conflict, which lures it to them on accident. However, Lee yells in return to save his children, being sacrificed in the process. Before getting killed, he tells Regan that he's always loved her. As he dies, they drive to the house and reunite with their mother, along with meeting their new brother. At the basement, Regan realizes the weakness of the creatures around them. When one comes downstairs, she turns on the implant near a microphone, which amplifies the feedback. Just as it exposes the flesh beneath the armor, Evelyn is able to shoot it down with a shotgun. Just as one is defeated, the family takes notice from a monitor that two more. And the film ends with Evelyn cocking up her gun, prepared to take down the rest.
THOUGHTS
I really wasn't sure how this was gonna go but when first checking it out in the summer of 2018, I have to admit that this was one fascinating film to ever behold. Director John Krasinski and fellow co-writers Bryan Woods & Scott Beck succeed in creating something that is so immersive for its time. The reason that this movie can be terrifying is because of the use/lack of sound that is in display. With that in mind, it makes the experience so intense that viewers need to be quiet. That is the kind of experience that I prefer because although getting jumpy over various moments for any movie can make it fun, it honestly feels better when not hyping yourself up during the film, especially for the first time. I just love being drawn into the fact of not making a sound, as that perfectly intensifies what progresses. While the monsters now credited as 'Death Angels' (said in a newspaper article in the basement) that appear are a threat, the real enemy is truly sound. It is truly sound because however loud you make of it, these things will get you. Hell, the sound of a toy can be as dangerous as a grenade in this film's universe. What makes them scarier is how we see either them from a distance or not at all. And because of that, it makes them more mysterious than one would anticipate. When you see them up close, you'll start wishing sound doesn't exist. Thanks to impressive visual effects, they couldn't look anymore creepier. I truly appreciated the cinematography by Charlotte Christensen mostly during the opening. I like the detail on how not much was taken in the grocery store because it displays how any of that could've been too loud to eat or take. I also enjoy Marco Beltrami's score because it truly felt that we were in the presented atmosphere, while also being stunning to listen to. Like most horror movies, a top reason to get through it all is the array of characters played by an astounding cast. The biggest accomplishment with the cast is how they keep the verbal dialogue at minimum and rely on ASL. The reason it sounds monumental is because of how this is done in a modern era of film, not a classical one where viewers would be use to no speaking lines. As an actor, Krasinski gives his best performance that isn't Jim Halpert from NBC's The Office. The role of Lee is extraordinary because of how he is an intelligent and resourceful survivor. Despite being a determined family man, the death of Beau made him become detached. He channeled his grief by the efforts of preparing for his fourth child, along with figuring out how to eliminate the threat. He didn't want to blame Regan, but it was hard for him to separate her from the memory of what happened. When he realized the grief his daughter had, he knew he had to make things right. And his sacrifice was his answer to redeem himself. And I admit to have cried when he tells her that he's always loved her because as that happens, the grief she had disappears. Enter breakout Millicent Simmonds who is at a whole other level. As Regan, she might come off as a liability because of her deafness but every chance she had, she always found a way to be resourceful. She remained stubborn due to the guilt she had over her brother's death but after her father's sacrifice, she accepts that it was an accident, whether or not you say it is her fault. It took her a while to realize what her implant was capable of but once notice is taken, she uses her new weapon to full affect. Cade Woodward is not around the whole film due to such a shocking death, but his time as Beau spoke volumes. Every time you see him, you see how innocent he is, yet still not completely grasped of what's going on with the world. Because of that, his demise appeared to be inevitable, and that is why it has an impact. Noah Jupe is also great in his fourth theatric role as Marcus. He is memorable because he is the most gentle of the family, due to trying to be as cautious as his father would be. My respect for him is strong is how he is the middleman in his family, because it is he who encouraged Lee to make things right with Regan. Last but not least, Krasinski’s real life wife Emily Blunt is phenomenal in her SAG winning performance as Evelyn. You appreciate her for being the most nurturing of the family, but also being arguably the toughest. Seeing how she controlled herself and withstood pain she went through was downright impressive. Hours apart from giving birth, she actually gets to kill one of the creatures. Also noticing how practical she was just came to show how she and Lee were meant to be. I mean the levels of badass rise when it comes to her. I really wished there was an extra half hour to the film because I would've loved to see her take down the other beasts no matter how good the sequel turned out to be. Another reason to find her compelling was because despite grieving over Beau, she still hoped for the best with the rest of her children. To me, the dynamic of this family gives an impressive on how to never doubt yourself because you’ll never know what you’re capable of, but also to always find peace with yourself and your loved ones/peers because you never know when will be the last time you’ll see them. I’ll never stop enjoying this film but despite all the love I have for it, there are still things that bothered me throughout. I know it’s easy to pick on Regan because she didn’t take the batteries, but neither did the parents. If they wanted to please Beau, take the batteries but give him the toy. I’m pretty sure he was still gonna enjoy it without the sound. Also, why did the kids have a lantern next to them when playing Monopoly? The room was fairly lit enough to a point where they don’t need it right next to them. If it wasn’t so close to them, they wouldn’t have to be scared by a raccoon. It is crazy how the creature infiltrates the house when Evelyn drops the frame after stepping on the nail, but how did that one remain quiet until passing by the door? These things sound loud every time, so it’s kinda crazy to not hear it come in. It is also smart for Lee to have an oxygen box for the baby because babies make the most noise no matter what? But did he have enough oxygen tanks to last him a year? I gotta ask because babies don’t stop making a fuss until they’re old enough to know better. And lastly, I feel like the movie broke its rules when the creature gets the jump on Lee, when he didn’t make a sound. If you’re telling me made noise when hugging his kids, I’m not gonna believe you. Having said that, I’ll still think you’ll be satisfied of the movie’s quality once ignoring the flaws. To wrap up, A Quiet Place is an incredible film because it shows how smart horror can be. If you love horror but also silence, this could be up your alley.
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