Welcome back to the blog readers. As you guys probably know, I have a love/hate relationship with the genre of horror. There are films that I absolutely despise (such as Halloween Ends, Orphan: First Kill, and The Invitation (all 2022)), and there are films that I love (like Get Out (2017), Smile (2022), and Hereditary (2018)). Two other horror films I love are A Quiet Place (2018) and its 2021 sequel. John Krasinski created one hell of a horror universe that I cannot wait to sink my teeth into every single time an installment comes. Would this prequel be any different? Stick around to find out.
A Quiet Place: Day One was written and directed by Michael Sarnoski from a story by him and John Krasinski, based on characters created by Bryan Woods and Scott Beck. The film stars Lupita Nyong'o, Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff, and Djimon Hounsou. In the film, an ill woman must navigate her way through an extraterrestrial invasion of New York City where the aliens hunt using sound.
The first two films in the series absolutely nailed the aesthetic John Krasinski was going for, and I was left stunned that they were not only great horror films, but they were great films in general that put an emphasis on the importance of family. I was a bit nervous going into this film though because I was not sure if the team would be able to capture that same spirit, but I was left absolutely floored with how well they did. This film is right on the level of the first two in every way, and the performances of Lupita Nyong'o and Joseph Quinn were next-level.
First off, I want to take a minute to address something that should be painfully obvious to everyone watching this: Lupita Nyong'o is a phenomenal actor, one of the best in the game today. If you see her in something, there should be an incentive for you to see that. Whether that would be her Oscar-winning performance in 12 Years a Slave (2013) to her role in the MCI as Nakia to Us (2019), Nyong'o is money. That is no different in this film, because she brings the horror chops and brings them in style. As our point-of-view character she rings her A-game to the role just as Krasinski and Emily Blunt do in the main series. I felt that there was a certain restraint that she had to have to take this role, and I thought that only elevated her performance. Like I said before, make sure to take note whenever she is in something because chances are that she will knock it out of the park.
If I can be honest with you guys for a minute, Joseph Quinn was a stranger to me before his role as Eddie Munson in Stranger Things (2019-). But he completely won me over with his charm, charisma, and just overall solid acting ("Chrissy wake up" anyone?). Since then, he has been in this, Gladiator II (2024), The Fantastic Four (2025), and the newest Alex Garland film Warfare (TBD). In this film though, I saw a new side to him that absolutely made me realize that he is not a one-hit wonder. There is a reason Ridley Scott chose him for Gladiator II. There is a reason that Matt Shakman chose him for The Fantastic Four. And I believe that I saw that side of him in this film. He showed that same restraint, the same restraint that Nyong'o shows, that makes the quiet moments stand out even more.
I also believe that this film does an incredible job of capturing the claustrophobic atmosphere of the original two films. But what really intrigued me about this film is what would happen when these monsters are placed in the loudest city in the world, something the intro to the film does a good job at establishing. It also feels a little bit close to home because of my proximity to Manhattan and the claustrophobia I feel sometimes. I feel like in some ways I can relate to these films. This film also features one of the most harrowing and haunting scenes I have seen all year so far in the evacuation gone wrong. It starts as one person walking down a street which leads to many people walking down that same street, and the collective noise attracts the creatures and leads to a massacre. I have to admit that that scene was absolutely unsettling and gripping to watch.
In conclusion, A Quiet Place: Day One masterfully captures the essence of the Krasinski-led films with stellar performances from Lupita Nyong'o and Joseph Quinn, and delivers the same chilling atmosphere as its predecessors. Thank you all for reading, and I will see you for the next post.
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