A Quiet Place was one of those rare horror movies that was robbed of Oscar nominations and we’re not just talking about the technical awards. This is a movie that should have been guaranteed nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay and nominations for all the acting categories. The first A Quiet Place was, arguably, the best movie of 2018 simply for being more than just a horror movie. What John Krasinski was able to accomplish with a small and quiet (no pun) horror movie is one of the most impressive directorial efforts of this century, and one of the best aspects of the movie is that critics loved it, fans loved it and it was a huge success at the box office. It was a win win from all perspectives, so naturally when a movie of that kind of caliber performs well, a sequel is almost inevitable. Something that first movie did well is the idea not knowing everything about the world that’s been laid out. We had no idea how the monsters got here, where they came from and what life was like outside of the Abbott family, and while we certainly got some of those questions answered with this sequel, there was almost this slight resit of not wanting a sequel to the movie because the idea of seeing the same concept applied to another family would felt cheap. However, when it was announced that John Krasinski was coming back to direct that started to make things more assuring. Not only was Krasinski conning back to direct he was also credited for writing the script himself, whereas the previous film was written by Bryan Woods and Scott Beck, with Krasinski serving as one of the co-writers. Once the COVID-19 pandemic hit, A Quiet Place Part II experienced a list of different release dates that audiences grew uncertain as to when this movie would finally hit the big screen or potentially be an exclusive release on a particular streaming service. It’s important to note that the horror genre is in desperate need of a great horror trilogy. Sure, we have a blast with the Scream movies, Friday the 13th or the A Nightmare on Elm Street series. But as far some of the best trilogies, the horror genre doesn’t really have that much to offer. John Krasinski might be paving the way with these two horror movies. A Quiet Place Part II is the greatest horror sequel to date. John Krasinski doubles down on the horror by creating some of the most astonishing and heart pounding horror sequences of its kind. The attention to the build up of tension, atmosphere and terror is masterfully crafted by John Krasinski.
BRIEF SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST A QUIET PLACE
Picking up right where the first movie ended, the Abbott family, now led by Emily Blunt, are now faced with the outside world and are now forced to venture into the unknown and they then realized that the creatures, who hunt by sound, are not the only threat that lurk beyond the sand path.
John Krasinski, as a filmmaker, is one of the most gifted artists working today. Right from the epic and haunting opening sequence, to the expansion of this world that’s been laid out, John Krasinski has the kind of the eye that a young Spielberg or an Alfred Hitchcock had from back in the day and that’s kind of what the first A Quiet Place and A Quiet Place Part II have in common. This sequel, just like its predecessor, is all about execution and John Krasinski knocks it out of the park, once again and the reason why this succeeds over most horror sequels, or most horror movies in general, is that Krasinski knows how to deliver on unbelievable horror sequences. We get to experience the apocalypse more so in this continuation and the sense of isolation, dread and claustrophobia is still wonderfully presented but one aspect that this movie absolutely nails is the barbaric and ferocious nature of the monsters. This is a more violent and more visceral movie than the first one and you really get a stronger picture on how terrifying and ruthless these monsters are. The visuals and aesthetic choices in this movie are incredible and all that has to be credited to the beautiful vision from Krasinski. Krasinki is and should be the star of this movie and he should be incredibly thrilled with how this movie turned out to be. This is a masterwork in filmmaking and it’s the kind of the movie that should inspire other filmmakers. He knows exactly how to frame the monsters within the character moments and not treating them as spectacle.
Admits the terror and remoteness, the smaller beats and character moments are spectacular. Emily Blunt might be the best working actress to date and A Quiet Place Part II solidifies that in spades. From her work in these two horror movies, Mary Poppins Returns, Edge of Tomorrow and Sicario, the range of emotion and versatility she has is what every performer should have. Emily Blunt can do wrong and her performance in this movie is magnificent. Cillian Murphy also has a substantial presence in the movie, and instead of being a carbon copy of John Krasinski’s character from the first movie, Murphy is phenomenal and brings a lot of heart and mortality to this story. However, Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe are the real deal in this movie and one of the best elements of this movie is the characters solely rely on silent communication and visual storytelling. The idea of an actor not having to communicate dialogue or any ounce of expostion can an exciting task but probably a daunting one as well, and the performances in this movie are exceptional.
Despite the apprehension of A Quiet Place being a franchise, the potential of third one almost seems inevitable at this point. A Quiet Place Part II is everything it should have been and surpasses it’s original. John Krasinski needs to get more work down the road and should be proud about the finished product. The performances are remarkable, the horror is first class and if a third A Quiet Place happens, get Krasinski on board ASAP.
My grade for A Quiet Place Part II: A+
Zane's take at the Cinema's 