Before noise-seeking creatures descend on New York, the main character Samira, played by Lupita Nyong’o, is already in trouble. She reluctantly agrees to a group trip to New York, promising theatre and pizza, despite feeling ill and cranky. Her emotional state drives the plot of this prequel to A Quiet Place (2018) and its sequel, both directed by John Krasinski.
Unlike the first films’ bucolic family farm and small town, the prequel showcases the first invasion in bustling New York City. The same blind, noise-sensitive aliens, resembling giant spindly brown spiders, return to wreak havoc. However, this time, the chaos unfolds amidst the city’s urban landscape, adding a new layer to the tension.
Directed by Michael Sarnoski, with a story co-written by him and Krasinski, this film marks Sarnoski’s second feature. His first, Pig (2021), impressed with its blend of character study and crime plot. A Quiet Place: Day One attempts a similar blend of sci-fi and human drama but struggles to maintain the suspense. While Sarnoski excels in handling action scenes and actors, the film’s tension wanes after the initial burst of action.
The heart of the film lies in the touching friendship between Samira and a frightened law student, Eric (Joseph Quinn), as they struggle to survive. Nyong’o and Quinn’s performances add depth to the characters, making the emotional journey compelling despite the film’s overall shortcomings compared to Krasinski’s high-tension installments.
Samira, weary and depressed, arrives in New York clutching her cat, Frodo. Disappointment follows when her theatre experience turns out to be a small puppet show. Alex Wolff and Djimon Hounsou play supporting roles, with Hounsou reprising his character from A Quiet Place Part II.
The film’s action peaks early with a scene where white streaks and explosions signal the creatures’ arrival, engulfing Samira’s bus in chaos. Nyong’o’s portrayal of panic in this disorienting sequence stands out, but the film never quite reaches that intensity again. The studio-shot New York streets effectively convey the shattered landscape.
As the story unfolds, Samira’s decision to seek pizza in devastated Harlem strains plausibility. The screenplay fails to address the impracticality of her plan, which only makes sense much later in the film, leaving viewers questioning her actions.
Samira and Eric’s developing friendship becomes the film’s focal point. Quinn’s portrayal of Eric’s transformation from terrified to strong is particularly moving. A thunderstorm allows them to whisper and share their backstories, but the pacing slows, diminishing the creatures’ threat.
Sarnoski’s focus on grief and life over monsters is evident in the film’s touching, silent final stretch. While emotionally affecting, the film’s lack of common sense and suspense detracts from its impact. Frodo’s miraculous ability to find Samira and a note surviving underwater stretch plausibility.
A Quiet Place: Day One is set to release on 28 June. The film offers moments of emotional depth but falls short as a suspenseful horror movie, leaving much to be desired for fans of the franchise.
‘A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE’ debuts with 91% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Read our review: https://t.co/r17zhvGUnz pic.twitter.com/NOm2uDJZxO
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) June 27, 2024
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