Movie Review – A Quiet Place (2018)

Movie Review – A Quiet Place (2018)

“In a post-apocalyptic world, a family is forced to live in silence while hiding from monsters with ultra-sensitive hearing.” –imdb.com

Director: John Krasinski
Writers: Bryan Woods, Scott Beck, John Krasinski
Main Cast: John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe

IMDb link: www.imdb.com/title/tt6644200/

With the grittiness a post-apocalyptic film always brings, “A Quiet Place” sees John Krasinski’s third feature film directorial work hit the screen with quite an impact. Widely known for his comedic role of Jim in the American version of “The Office”, here we find once again that John isn’t a one-trick-pony, showing off his very solid dramatic acting chops also.

Set in the present of 2016-2020 in an alternate Earth reality, hostile alien creatures have come to our planet. I can only guess that they come from some-kind of gym-junkie planet, with extremely high metabolism, because they don’t actually do anything but hunt and eat! We never see them until the proverbial dinner bell is rung and they show up for chow time.

The story revolves around a very nuclear family: a father, mother and 2.5 children. From when I had consciously noticed this, I found that the rest of the film, whilst still riveting and brimming with suspense, seemed very formulaic. Tragedy strikes the family, bonds are tested, predictable character arcs, liberally doused in well-paced action and jump-scares.

I felt that I could imagine the three writers (Bryan Wood, Scott Beck and Krasinski himself) sitting down and figuring out story beats — the “and then”s. Each obstacle in the family’s path seemed very obviously planted and explicitly shown to the audience which made the payoffs quite predictable.

Often I would find myself thinking “Oh, that just happened, I bet this will happen later because of it” and I’d be correct. Sure, the film would add some extra elements to those payoffs, but they seemed predictable nonetheless. Alfred Hitchcock would often create suspense by allowing the audience to know something that the characters on screen didn’t, which is certainly shown here, though maybe just a touch too on-the-nose for me, personally.

Although understandably the sentiment in the film is to always be on guard and to control oneself, the scenes that did show some vague respite somehow felt like they weren’t quite in the right places. I wanted the family to explore deeper, more meaningful connective times before being thrown into direct threat again. I think this could have possibly solved the issue for me, as some character arcs seemed to come too late, where even a small resolution could have really thrust more emotional urgency forward, but instead caused certain scenes to be less impactful than what was intended.

However in saying this, there’s a tonne of other good stuff happening here.

The use of sign language was curiously interesting, almost a character in and of itself, as the smallest of sounds can jeopardise the family’s safety. This “friend” (if you personify it) would be the reliable thing they could always count on, no matter what the situation.
Here we are gifted by the exceptional acting talents of young deaf actress Millicent Simmonds in only her second feature film outing. It can already be predicted that she will have a long and widely successful career, without a shadow of a doubt.

Emily Blunt captivates the audience playing the mother character, giving a solid performance of occasional melancholy to fight or flight, her emotional range and physical acting, as always, is nothing to be scoffed at.
Young British actor Noah Jupe plays the son’s role with warmth and heartfelt sincerity. He too will have great days ahead in the acting realm.
Let it be said that whilst the characters are listed as having names, only one is actually mentioned in the movie itself.

With production design veteran Jeffrey Beecroft (Dances With Wolves, Transformers, 12 Monkeys) who’s now often linked to the Producer’s movies, Michael Bay himself, sets are grim, detailed and true sense of the film’s world.

Shot beautifully by Danish cinematographer Charlotte Bruus Christensen (Fences, Molly’s Game, The Girl On The Train), the production values are much higher than you would expect for the listed budget of approximately only $19 million (I know, right? Bloody inflation…). Having clocked in a whopping USD$330M worldwide at the box office, a HUGE success by any measure! This totally solidifies Krasinski’s foothold and future as a major Hollywood director. And, with a sequel already listed as being in pre-production, we can trust to see the second instalment come to fruition in the coming years ahead.

Going into this movie and knowing the basic premise, I wouldn’t say I was apprehensive about how they would do sound design or audible dialogue, but was certainly curious. Usually I find that movies without much sound or musical soundtrack tend to really drag on and I can quickly lose interest if certain other elements are also lacking.

However that wouldn’t be the case with “A Quiet Place” (Oh! I’m a poet and didn’t know it!). Whilst it began very stark of atmospheric aural landscapes, the visuals propped it up well. It wasn’t too far along that the genius compositions of one of my personal favourite soundtrack masters in Marco Beltrani (Logan, The Wolverine, World War Z) began to shine through, with a simplistic beauty that never threw shade on any other element of the film, merely complemented it perfectly.

Thematically and metaphorically, everyone has a different subjective take on movies and their deep-down ‘meanings’, just like any other art form.

Without trying to sound too douchey (too late, I know 🙁 ), after brief thought post-watch, I liked to consider that elements reflect the modern world and how quickly one can, quite literally, be consumed by it.

Taking the time to listen and pay closer attention to the important things always proves useful and personally rewarding in becoming a better person. When one makes too much noise, it’s very easy nowadays to be attacked online, regardless of the content or subject matter that you are projecting into the ether of the universe.
The violent and all-consuming creatures — I see as reflections of the visceral nature of what the internet and trolls and everyone else who has the burning desire to tell you how you are supposed to act and, what you’re supposed to think and feel.

Unless you say nothing and keep to yourself, which in and of itself is pretty bloody bleak. Stifling any sense of creative self, in fears of being persecuted for simply not thinking like the individual that you are (thinking in terms of recent (July 2018) bullshit of Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn being sacked because certain people can’t take a joke in context).
It’s like telling a salesperson you aren’t interested in what they’re selling. Then receiving a punch in the face for it. C’mon, man, just because I don’t subscribe to your way of thinking? Now you wanna punish me somehow because you didn’t get your way, like a toddler? Nah, I’m good. Thanks, though.

Sorry, I’m yammering.

The very last shots however, kinda caught me off guard… Tonally, it took a completely different and almost jovial turn. I mean, I kinda get why they did it. But by the same token, it felt odd considering the characteristics of the rest of the movie.

Anyways, if you like a truly suspenseful horror movie without the “slasher” gore, you would certainly enjoy Toy Story 3. I mean, “A Quiet Place”!

3 out of 5 honest sprockets.