I remain in a horror movie mood after last week’s discussion. I also saw the trailer for A Quiet Place: Day One, which is releasing later this month, while I was at the theater recently. The trailer was exciting, with clips evoking disaster films that had entertained me as a much younger film watcher, many of which I’m still fond of today due to nostalgia. Also, I’m a major fan of the film’s lead, Lupita Nyong'o. She’s an incredible actor and has been amazing in every film I’ve seen her in. I’m definitely going to check out the upcoming movie.
However, I still hadn’t seen the second installment of this film series, even though I remember the first film to be a great horror movie. To prepare myself for the new film, earlier this week I watched A Quiet Place Part II, written and directed by John Krasinski, based on characters by Bryan Woods & Scott Beck.
My feelings about the film are mixed. It’s good and definitely worth watching, and as I was experiencing it, I thought about how much I enjoyed it. Unfortunately, the film didn’t affect me on a deep level, which is what I hope for from most films I watch, especially in the horror genre.
I’ll sort through my thoughts here, and I’ll include a spoiler warning when I discuss plot details more deeply.
The premise of the original A Quiet Place was so fascinating and freaky. The invasion of creatures from outer space who ruthlessly hunt their prey using their laser-sharp sense of hearing was a genuine nightmare, since one loud noise almost always spelled absolute doom. In the sequel, the constant anxiety and dread that are built into the premise remain. Furthermore, though the creatures aren’t as horrifying in their strangeness as they once were, their design is still so scary and uncanny that they haven’t lost their creepiness. The heads shaped similar to those of humans, the jaws packed with needle-like teeth, and the long limbs that end in spikes are still enough to make you shudder when you see them. And the way their heads expand into vibrating, bony plates connected by a pulsating membrane whenever they try to detect sound waves is a wickedly designed visual effect. I honestly think these creatures are instant classics in the horror genre, and they haven’t outstayed their welcome yet.
Another fantastic element from the first film that carries over well and doesn’t lose its power is the central cast of characters, made up of Evelyn (Emily Blunt) and her two children, Regan (Millicent Simmonds) and Marcus (Noah Jupe). Seeing them in the first film of the series as they try to carry on with their lives and adapt as best as they can to their new dire circumstances was poignant and compelling. The members of the family have such a deep love for each other, gentle in moments of safety, fierce and protective in the face of danger. That love persists in this film, and the actors continue to be incredible. They have to convey such a variety of emotions, from terror to determination to relief, and they all do so realistically and convincingly. Thanks to their amazing performances, the world feels believable. I also give major props to the younger actors, who have to convey such profound depths of feeling.
The new characters in A Quiet Place Part II who meet up with the returning characters also feel real. Early in the film, Evelyn and her children run into Emmett (Cillian Murphy), a family friend of theirs from before the apocalypse who has become a broken person. He has lost his family and has given up all hope, choosing instead to focus on surviving as long as he can and refusing to help people. His face conveys a sense of profound loss. Actor Djimon Hounsou appears in a few brief scenes, and he’s amazing here, as he is in every film I’ve seen him in.
Another element of the film I admire are the adrenaline-fueled set pieces. A situation escalates in dread and anxiety until it bursts into chaos and danger. Two sequences I absolutely adore are one that takes place in an abandoned train and one that takes place at a dock at night. The train sequence includes incredible use of focus, with a shot in which the background is out of focus that made my eyes widen in panic when I saw it. The scene at the dock includes amazing use of light and shadow, with glowing flashlights reflecting off the surface of the water and the sides of the boats. Shoutout to Krasinski for the skillful execution of these set pieces and to cinematographer Polly Morgan for the amazing camera work.
On the topic of set pieces, many of them are constructed, in my view, based on Murphy’s law, the adage that states what can go wrong will go wrong. In A Quiet Place Part II, during the safe and more relaxed moments, the feeling of safety would be determined by an object or location that was held together delicately. The danger erupted into the immediate presence of the characters when the delicate objects or locations collapsed. I apologize for being vague, but I don’t want to give away any spoilers while I share my praises for the film. The most I want to say right now is that I would notice something, think to myself that I hope that the thing didn’t go wrong, and watch as the thing collapsed. This was an effective pattern for constructing thrilling set pieces.
Overall, it’s a solid movie. Now, however, I’m going to discuss my biggest point of criticism for the film, and I cannot do so without spoilers.
My biggest issue with the film is that the story seems to have missed opportunities for thematic depth. For this reason, as exciting as the experience of watching the film is, it hasn’t really lingered in my mind much after the end credits.
The first film had a really powerful exploration of grief and hope. The opening scene of the first film shows the youngest son of Evelyn’s family being killed by one of the creatures after a toy that Regan has given him turns on. Regan blames herself for her brother’s death, and she believes her father, Lee (John Krasinski) blames her, too. By the end of the first film, Lee sacrifices himself to save Regan, after signing to her that he has always loved her. Regan also discovers that her father has been working tirelessly to repair her cochlear implant when she hides in his workshop after he is killed by the creatures. This revelation further confirms Lee’s love for Regan. The theme of love’s triumph over grief really moved me during viewing of the film years ago. This theme was also further enhanced by the fact that Evelyn gives birth to a child in the movie. The fact that she has enough faith to bring a child into such a terrifying world is a testament to her deep hope that she and her family will survive, and that humanity as a whole will persevere.
The closest thing A Quiet Place Part II has to those poignant themes of the first film is Emmett’s character arc. He grows from despair to hope, from self-preservation to selflessness. However, his arc happens too suddenly to arouse as deep of an emotional reaction in me as the plot beats in the first film did. All it takes for Emmett to move from despair to hope is Regan’s successful quest to find a survivor’s sanctuary after her insistence that a song playing on the radio is actually a coded message pointing to a haven’s location.
If Emmett’s personal journey had been more gradual and rocky, his newfound hope would’ve been more poignant. Because it’s so fast, I never felt as if I were a part of it. I was just observing it. In contrast, the plight of Evelyn’s family in the first film felt like something I was taking part in.
There was one more significant missed opportunity to mine thematic depth in A Quiet Place Part II, in my view. In the scene at the dock, Emmett and Regan find a young girl who appears to be in distress. When Emmett approaches and tries to console her, she wraps a noose around his neck.
This scene was incredibly shocking. The young girl turned out to be bait.
She’s revealed to be part of a group of survivors that appear to have malevolent intentions. I was so intrigued by who these people were and what motivated them. However, as soon as they appeared, they exited the story. Emmett and Regan quickly escaped by attracting the creatures to the captors.
A comparison to another work of post-apocalyptic fiction comes to mind: The Walking Dead. I only ever watched a bit less than three seasons of the show, but even then, the show was outstaying its welcome for me. The pace was so slow. However, one amazing aspect of The Walking Dead was its exploration of various groups of survivors with different moral compasses. That series emphasized that the true monsters weren’t the zombies, but were actually the people. This idea about the depravity and malevolence of people is the stuff of the deepest horror, for me. It’s the kind of thing that haunts me.
A Quiet Place Part II had the perfect opportunity to also dive into this theme, but didn’t take it. The captors are only onscreen for such a brief time, and almost nothing about them is revealed, unless I’ve missed something. The creatures only exist in the world of the film, while the evil in people’s hearts exists in the real world. Through this meditation, the film could’ve lingered so much longer in my mind.
Instead, it feels like a thrill ride. It’s a very good thrill ride. It’s one I’ll probably take again if I’m in the mood. But, it’s something that won’t affect me when I’m not actively experiencing it. I’d call it exciting, not scary. For something to be scary for me, it has to rattle the ideas that comfort me, ideas about safety and security. Ideas about hope and faith. The first film shook me because it made me question if I would be strong enough to persist in such dire circumstances. It made me question the strength of my faith in a better future.
Despite my criticism of A Quiet Place Part II, I still appreciate the eerie premise of the film series overall, as well as the emphasis in both installments on protagonists who feel real. These elements alone make me interested in watching the upcoming installment. I’ve also read online that A Quiet Place Part III is in development, and I’m down to watch that, too.
I really liked your analysis! I haven't seen the film yet but now I really want to