A larger quiet place.
“A Quiet Place Part II” continues the story of “A Quiet Place,” which was released in 2018. Both are written and directed by John Krasinski. The sequel was originally set to release last year but was delayed due to the pandemic, and it is now playing only in theaters.
Picking up immediately after the first movie’s ending, this film follows the remaining Abbott family as they figure out what to do next in the midst of dangerous monsters that operate based on sound. After meeting up with their old friend Emmett, the family must find a way to survive, with a beacon of hope presenting itself in the form of a radio station that plays only one song.
“A Quiet Place Part II” is a good follow up to the original film that expands the world. However, it ultimately feels like more of the same.
The film’s main cast members do a great job in their roles. Emily Blunt stars as Emily Abbott, with Millicent Simmonds playing her daughter Regan and Noah Jupe as her son Marcus. Finally, Cillian Murphy plays their friend Emmett.
Emily Blunt is excellent at playing a terrified yet resourceful mother. Unfortunately, it felt like her character wasn’t given much to do in the film. When she is actively contributing to the film, she’s great. But it seemed like most of the time she was put on the sidelines. Noah Jupe is with her most of the time, now sporting an injured leg. His acting is good, but outside of a few scenes, he doesn’t do much.
Millicent Simmonds carries most of the film. She is great in her role, especially as a deaf actress. She brings authenticity to the film while filling in the shoes of her character, especially by not having her character be solely defined by her deafness.
She is joined by Cillian Murphy for most of the film. He excels at playing the supportive lead, especially as they bring the best out of each other throughout the film. Both actors give the better performances in the film. It also helps that they are given the more active portion of the movie.
In general, the writing in this film is pretty good. It’s well structured, following a consistent and linear storyline. There are also some elements that are placed very well in the film, providing some excellent setup and payoff. But there’s nothing too significant about the writing.
There’s a good amount of dialogue, which feels strange compared to the mostly silent first film. It’s also pretty bare without providing much subtext; what you see is what you get, which works for this kind of film. Overall, it’s written well, but there isn’t anything too exciting about it.
The main aspect of this film is the sound, especially because the whole premise of the franchise is based on sound. The sound design is excellent, and a great theater helps with the experience. It works by emphasizing the environment and the noises that people make. It’s crafted well, especially in recreating Regan’s perspective along with a few other parts of the film.
Along with the sound is the score, which is pretty good. The score is a mix of orchestral instruments with piano sections and more tense electronic instrumentals. The latter sections of the score work the best within the film, especially in how they replicate the sound of a heart beating, which adds to the suspense of several sequences. The former sections of the score are good, but feel a little intrusive at times; it doesn’t fit with the quiet motif of the film, making it feel out of place at times.
The film’s editing is great, keeping consistency throughout the film. A specific section midway through the film worked excellently, as the film cut between three different perspectives without feeling lost or disorienting. The editing works with the sound design, too, which helps the film achieve what it is trying to do on a technical level.
Finally, the cinematography is good. It kept a consistent look along with some good lighting throughout the film. Everything is in focus and it works best when it conveys certain information to the audience. It doesn’t do anything too crazy, but it’s done well overall.
One last aspect to talk about with this movie is the horror element. For the most part, it is effective. Most of the scenes have great tension and suspense, with actual threats being present throughout the movie. There were a few cheap jump scares that left zero impact, but that’s a minor complaint. Everything else in terms of horror is well done, even if it leans more as a thriller in some respects.
“A Quiet Place Part II” is a decent sequel to the original film. With some great performances, good writing and directing along with effective suspense, it’s a film that a lot of people will enjoy.
However, it is hard to shake the feeling that there could have been more done in the sequel. It mostly feels like more of the same, but this time just expanded out a bit more. It’s still good and the film continues to build on the great premise set up by the first film.
However, everything surrounding the film made it seem like it was much grander and artistic than any other movie, especially in the delay to ensure that it plays in theaters. The theater experience helps by fleshing out the technical aspects, but other than that it doesn’t really need to be seen outside of your own home. It just wasn’t entirely impressive.
If you are looking for a good horror film or just a sequel to “A Quiet Place,” then this film will deliver quite well. It does what it sets out to do, but that’s about it.
3.5/5 Torches
