In a post-apocalyptic future, a family is forced to live in
silence as they avoid creatures who hunt by sound. HORROR
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A Quiet Place (2018)Directed by John Krasinski
Written by Bryan Woods, Scott Beck, John Krasinski Starring Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe, Cade Woodward, Leon Russom Oscar Nominations - Best Sound Editing |
John Krasinski really seemed to leap into peoples’ hearts with his beloved character in the hit sitcom, The Office. Then, he would stun a lot of us with his turn to action films and new series, Jack Ryan, after his former show had ended. But he wasn’t done showing us his versatility. It wasn’t long before it was announced he would be dipping his toes into the horror genre with his directorial debut. Now, I was a little trepidatious due to him not really showing any interest in the genre before. Last thing I need is some big-name actor making a snobby horror film where it feels like the audience is just being insulted. I kept an open mind, though. Especially with the stellar marketing campaign getting my interest. So, how does the comedian turned action star turned horror director do with his first time up to the plate? Simple answer, he knocks it out of the park.
I’ll start with the main praise heaped on this film: the sound design. There is a really good reason this has constantly been praised so much. It’s brilliant. The way the filmmakers decide to eliminate all the sound so you are locked in with the characters and their plight is smart. It makes the intense scenes with the monsters, and there are many, that much creepier. From the ballsy opening to the edge of your seat birth scene, you are gripped and completely in the filmmaker’s control. Speaking of the creatures, they actually look good for the most part. Yes, they are CGI. But it doesn’t look terrible, either. And that opening I mentioned, I seriously can’t commend enough a big-budget studio back horror film for actually beginning a film the way they do this one. Finally, last little thing I want to mention is the performances. For a film mostly utilizing sign language for its dialogue, the actors are still fantastic across the board. I will give Krasinski credit. He does a great job not only for his directorial debut, but also for his first time really dabbling within the horror genre. He delivers a film with a strong story and plot element which is used effectively. While also making sure to deliver on the performances and familial relationships so the audience actually cares what happens. Sure, he doesn’t give a lot of info on the creature’s origins. But if horror has taught me anything, it’s usually better not to know. |
I had really high hopes for A Quiet Place. The trailers were creepy, the concept was brilliant, and the critical praise was through the roof. When I saw it, I was blown away by how little it had to offer. The entire film acts as a set-up to what would be a much better, more interesting movie. There's very few scary moments, and the film relies mostly on jump scares instead of atmosphere and tension. When it was over, I felt cheated and confused as to why the film garnered such critical praise. Maybe they mistook the lack of dialogue for ingenuity.
I do think John Krasinski did an admirable job, both as director and star. Emily Blunt was great as well. However, you never learn anything about them or their children. Not their names, not their skills, nothing. Knowing nothing about the lead characters makes it difficult to care about them. I think A Quiet Place squandered what could've been one of the most inventive and creative premises in horror movie history. It never took it far enough. These are creatures that (presumably) fell from the sky and ended the world by eating most of humanity. What's left of it learned to avoid the creatures by staying absolutely silent. The possibilities of a world like that are endless, and A Quiet Place gave us an hour and a half long build-up to the movie I wanted to see. I feel like I'm the only person who didn't like this movie, and I don't understand why. What exactly is everybody else seeing in it? It's being billed as this flawless game changer, yet it suffers from the same tropes and scare tactics that plague every other weak horror film from the past ten years. It reminded me more of It Comes at Night then anything else, which should've been a red flag for me from the start. Maybe it's just me, but I don't think this film warrants the kind of attention it's received. It should've been much better. |