A Quiet Place Part II
I didn’t get a chance to rewatch the first “A Quiet Place” before watching the sequel, but the opening to that film is as shocking and memorable as any in recent horror history. How could director John Krasinski (now writing the script also) possibly top it? To his credit, he doesn’t, but instead, goes back to the beginning of the invasion of the aliens that terrorized the Abbott family in the first one. This opening serves a different purpose- it not only works off our understanding of the world in the original, but also introduces other characters to this franchise; not that we thought it might just be the Abbott clan, but this allows for tensions between people to become just as threatening to them as the aliens whom hunt by sound are.
One of my most formative moviewatching experiences when I was watching was Andrei Tarkovsky’s “Stalker” for the first time in 1997. In a way, it was the inverse of how “The Crow” felt when I saw it in 1994 (ironic since that film pointed me towards Tarkovsky’s); whereas the use of music within “The Crow” changed my perceptions of how soundtracks could sound and feel, the sparse, dreamy sound mix on “Stalker” pointed me in a completely different direction. Tarkovsky only used sound for effect, for emotional impact, and wasn’t afraid to take the sound mix to the point of silence if it helped his ability to tell a story. I’m not here to put the “A Quiet Place” movies on the same plateau of filmmaking as Tarkovsky, but Krasinski’s ideas on the sound mix feel of a piece with what I heard in “Stalker.” Of course, “Saving Private Ryan” could be more a template, as well, in the moments where the sound became muffled during moments of shell shock for Captain Jim Miller. And, of course, “A Quiet Place” has a deaf character near its center, allowing for moments of tension being silent when their POV is being presented.
After the opening, we skip ahead to where we last left the Abbotts, as Evelyn (Emily Blunt), Regan (Millicent Simmonds) and Marcus (Noah Jupe) leave their home- with a newborn in tow- hoping to find other survivors. Even though I hadn’t rewatched the original prior, the characters feel as fresh to me watching them in this one as they were in 2018; Regan- the deaf girl in the family- is the most resourceful, and one who thought of how they could stave off the aliens; she’s very much like Lee (Krasinski’s character), who died in the original. The road is perilous, but even when faced with the aliens, they manage to escape, but a watchful eye could threaten them even more when they come across an old friend (Cillian Murphy).
There’s a lot that separates the “A Quiet Place” movies from a lot of studio horror nowadays. One of the things I appreciate the most is that it’s teen-friendly horror with the PG-13 rating, but it’s a story adults can resonate with in how it builds tension, and the character dynamics. In “Part II,” we’ll get a chance to see Evelyn, Regan and Marcus each on their own against the aliens, and it’s one of the most tension-filled sequences in either of these movies. Krasinski understands the fundamentals about suspense, and even though these films are fairly standard in a lot of ways, the fact that he can build set pieces for suspense and action that rely on genuine tension like “Will this character make noise?”- something we take for granted in real life- while also finding the right places to bring in more sound, and remove sound, for impact; that’s something it can take some filmmakers a while to figure out, but the most talented ones understand inherently.
Even though Blunt is the clear headliner in the film, that she doesn’t dominate the film- nor do we mind that she doesn’t- is one of the sequel’s strengths. Character building is a key part here, with Marcus and Emmett- Murphy’s character- getting ample time here while Evelyn and Regan go for help in their own directions. Murphy is one of those actors who’s always a welcome addition to a cast, and he has some great moments that recall his performance in “28 Days Later,” but his character is in a different place this time- he knows more than the Abbotts do, but that also makes him more cautious when hope is possible. This is a true ensemble, which also sets these films apart from other horror films- we’re not just waiting for people to die; we genuinely want these characters to survive.
I’ll be honest, the ending frustrated the Hell out of me. I won’t spoil it, but it’s a blatant sequel setup that kind of undercuts what was done earlier. That said, if Krasinski has other ideas for these characters, in this universe, I’m open to them. I’ve enjoyed what I’ve seen thus far.
