This week ECHG writer Adam Holtzapfel takes a look at A Quiet Place.

 

 

Directed by John Krasinski A Quiet Place has been the breakout horror hit of 2018 thus far.

 

Taking place in 2020 the film follows the lives of a family who appear to be the only survivors after an apocalyptic event. They are forced to communicate non verbally through sign language due to a predator that hunts only by sound.

 

Starring John Krasinski as Lee the patriarch of the family, his wife Emily Blunt as the matriarch, with Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe, and Cade Woodward as the children. They are believable as the Abbott family. Produced by Michael Bay this isn’t the CGI orgy that most of his films are (thank goodness). 

 

At the beginning of the film we see the Abbott’s raiding a general store for supplies and food. On their way home an accident occurs that adds to the troubles of the family. We see a somewhat misogynistic look at the roles of Marcus (Noah Jupe) and Regan (Millicent Simmonds). Lee (Krasinski) wants Marcus to go with him to check the traps, while Marcus doesn’t want to go Regan does, but it takes a turn to where Marcus has to learn these things to take care of the family should something happen to Lee instead of taking Regan who is willing and wanting to learn. 

 

The film  does a great job of building anxiety and exploring the family dynamic. The film also looks great and the lack of sound forces the audience to focus on what they’re watching. 

 

While I liked the film, it definitely had some faults in the story. Part of me wonders if this was due to scenes being cut to get the PG-13 rating or if it was actually the script. The ending also didn’t really seem to fit for me, it seemed like it would have fit better in an Army Of Darkness type film. Also, with rumblings of a sequel I feel this film doesn’t really need to become a franchise. 

 

Overall this is worth seeing at a theater especially if it’s a week day matinee where it won’t be overcrowded with teens and popcorn munchers.