In 2018, actor, director and writer John Krasinski wowed audiences and critics alike with his tense and well-crafted high concept horror film A Quiet Place.
Starring opposite his real-life counterpart, Emily Blunt, the pair portrayed a married couple with children who must survive in a world where even mundane noises may quickly become a matter of life or death.
As audiences held their breath along with the protagonists, Krasinski’s transition into horror boasted incredibly well-crafted sound design, a sincere sense of dread, and grounded performances that made the characters utterly compelling.
Offering insight into how the terror first began, the sequel starts out strong with an intense flashback sequence that answers questions without demystifying its antagonists entirely.
Seeing the family’s interactions before circumstances forced them to go silent also gives the viewer a renewed appreciation for the familial dynamic that was integral to making the first film work as well as it did.
Additionally, new characters are also introduced during the flashback, some of whom reappear later on, albeit most are not afforded that luxury.
Much like its predecessor, the sound design is also outstanding in the sequel, once again making audiences painfully aware of any poor snack choices and creaky cinema seats. Due to the character dynamic having changed since the last film, however, this second part is more conventional in terms of having more standard dialogue, but having this shift in how sound and silence is utilized also adds welcome new layers to the viewing experience, making Krasinski’s A Quiet Place films a engrossing duo to enjoy in one sitting, blood pressure permitting.
Just as the sound design is yet again carefully thought out, the characters also continue to make smart choices for the most part, always taking into consideration elements such as personality, age, ability, and the amount of time the characters have managed to stay alive thus far. Like the first time around, this adds to the realism and relatability of the characters, thereby maintaining the balance between intelligent and emotional behavior, which in turn ensures that it is still easy to remain invested in their struggles.
Due to how events unfolded in the previous film, changes in the dynamic among our group of survivors and their setting were inevitable, but this mostly serves to propel both narrative and character development forward in an organic manner. Similarly, in terms of the performances, the returning cast members impress once more, as they continue their arcs at various paces as they process the traumatic experiences they endured during the 2018 film.
As all of this character and narrative progression unfolds, Cillian Murphy enters the mix, proving to be a great addition to the cast. As he has so often done in the past, Murphy makes his presence known in a subtly intense way, leaving the audience guessing about his moral fiber for some time as his character arc unfolds.
While this review has undoubtedly been full of praise so far – and well-deserved praise at that – if there is anything to criticize about the sequel, it is that the pacing does feel somewhat uneven in places. While the juxtaposition of intensity versus character moments is a necessity when wanting to create a thoroughly compelling film, the dynamic between the characters and where they happen to find themselves in the terrifying reality of the A Quiet Place films, does take a little while to reach the levels of its predecessor, but once it gets there, the tension is yet again relentless.
With A Quiet Place Part II, John Krasinski proves that 2018’s A Quiet Place was no mere fluke. Instead, the filmmaker cements that he has an undeniable talent for storytelling, knowing how to expertly use visuals and audio to create often unbearable tension without sacrificing any of the humanity necessary to make an audience invest in a story and the characters who inhabit it.
As such, those who enjoyed the first installment can therefore confidently – but quietly – take a seat at a screening of this solid sequel.
Verdict: 8 out of 10
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Produced by Michael Bay, Andrew Form, Brad Fuller, John Krasinski
Based on Characters created by Bryan Woods, Scott Beck
Written and Directed by John Krasinski
Starring Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy, Millicent Simmonds,
Noah Jupe, Djimon Hounsou, John Krasinski
