A Quiet Place: Day One takes the silent franchise to the Big Apple. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Who would have thought that a series about people needing to be quiet or risk being killed by unseen aliens, directed by Jim from The Office, would become the most consistent horror franchise of the last decade?
Well, now three movies in the ‘A Quiet Place’ franchise have proven to be not only great, accessible, entry-level horror flicks but just damn good movies in their own rights.
The newest film in the franchise, A Quiet Place: Day One continues this trend, but unlike the small towns of the first two movies, we are taken to the loudest city in the world, New York City.
When I first heard this premise, I was locked in. It was such a slam-dunk concept. A movie about aliens who see through sound, in the Big Apple? Sign me Up!
The chaos alone would be worth the price of admission.
While there is plenty of death and destruction that make for great viewing, it’s surprisingly the two lead characters that elevate this film above other horror films released this year.
Lupita Nyong’o stars as Sam, a woman in Hospice care who along with her scene-stealing cat Frodo, longs for a final slice of pizza. Alongside Nyong’o is Joseph Quinn of Stranger Things fame as Eric. Not much is known about Eric but he is drawn to Sam once the aliens invade.
The pair learn to rely on one another and with it comes a strange yet human connection as humanity itself starts to fall apart. If it’s not obvious, I loved these two. They barely speak yet are able to clearly convey emotion and demonstrate their growing care for one another. It’s fantastic and one of the biggest strengths of not just this film but the entire franchise.
I mentioned up top that this film is entry horror; what I mean by that is sometimes horror can be off-putting for a lot of people. Viewers can be put off by gore, supernatural/dark themes or the constant fear of being ‘jumped’, something I understand completely.
However, this stereotype can often mean people miss out on great horror-themed movies. What I think A Quiet Place does well is that, while scary, it’s not nightmare fuel.
Let me paint a picture. Remember when you were nine or 10 years old and there was that movie that was M/MA rated, probably a little too mature for you, but your parents let you watch it anyway? For me, it was Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. I can see A Quiet Place: Day One, as well as the other two films in this franchise, being that for kids today.
Don’t get me wrong, there are still frights in this movie. One extended scene in a subway made me particularly tense, but the scares alone don’t make this movie. It is broken up by scenes of characters realising that everything is ending and their acceptance of it.
Aside from the characters and the scares, there is still plenty to like about the film. The cinematography is top-notch, the CGI is impressive, the set design is among the best of the year and the sound design is also incredible.
I have only a couple of slight nitpicks with the film that do move into spoiler territory – you will know what I mean when you see it. They mainly focus on some character decisions and the aliens turning into stupid braindead creatures to get said characters out of sticky situations, but for the most part, they didn’t detract from the overall experience.
I thoroughly enjoyed A Quiet Place: Day One. It is another strong entry into an already brilliant franchise. Making the move to a bustling city was a genius concept and the two lead actors elevate what is already solid source material. If you enjoyed the first two films I have no doubt you will love this one too.
A Quiet Place: Day One is showing in cinemas across the country.
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