Review of A Quiet Place (2016) by Garry A — 01 Jun 2018

John Krasinski's first major studio picture, the post-apocalyptic horror 'A Quiet Place', offers up a spin on the conventional 'creature-feature' sub-genre. Firstly, it offers up almost no back-story; you are thrown straight into the action, without any explanation as to what has happened or why. It is the genius of the story-telling that results in the viewer piecing together what is unraveling in front of them, without a reliance on exposition, which is a helpful thing considering the necessity for sparse dialogue throughout.

Which leads to the second unusual plot-device - we quickly learn (again, by character actions rather than being told) that monsters are hiding in the shadows that, while blind, are able to hunt down their human prey and dispatch them with swift efficiency, by noise alone. We are not told why they are here or how they arrived, but the story focuses on one family's attempt to live alongside these creatures, and maintain the basis of family-life. Again, initially, there is some striving to co-exist - they are not directly looking for ways to eliminate these creatures, which perhaps hints at some deeper political message under the surface.

The family (the Abbotts) are an outlier, in that the rest of the human race (apparently) has followed government advice to seek shelter underground, where these creatures cannot pursue them. We are not told explicitly why this is, though there are strong insinuations throughout, that the Abbotts have elected to try and maintain their family unit, and allow their children some semblance of a regular lifestyle, albeit one with the menace of instant-death if they make too much noise. This attempt to evolve and overcome is brilliantly handled - the family are fluent in sign-language, and employ other methods to reduce typical ambient noise such as clattering plates, by eating off of giant cabbage leaves instead, and play monopoly using foam pieces etc etc.

This has served them well for years, but an upcoming, future event, necessitates change - mother of the family Evelyn (played by Krasinski's real life partner Emily Blunt) is pregnant - birth being of course a process that produces noise, at significant volume. But they have to also make provisions for raising a child that they cannot simply instruct to be quiet, and it is this change in family dynamic that shifts the emphasis from defence to attack.

The acting is first-rate. Krasinski himself plays the father but it is the kids who really shine. Director Krasinski took the unusual step of casting a disabled girl (Millicent Simmonds) as one of his daughters - deaf since birth, her performance gives the film a grounded authenticity - she has the added disadvantage of not hearing the noise she might otherwise be making. This coupled with her character arc being shaped by an early tragic event in the film, draws much empathy from the audience. It is a very nuanced performance.

Technically too, it is superb. Krasinski doesn't mention him as an inspiration, but this is definitely reminiscent of early Spielberg - the 'children in peril' scenario, dysfunctional home-life, hell even the patented Spielberg 'looking shot' is utilised throughout. This film is tense, and that tension is accentuated by the score and ambient effects - all of the sign-language throughout, is subtitled, as you would expect, which makes any loud noise instantly teeth-clinchingly reactive, but when characters speak, or shout, it really draws a response, after scene after scene of silence. The visual effects too are spot on - again, drawing from the master Spielberg; initial glimpses of the creatures early on, give way to close-up's as the film progresses, and they never fail to convince, and are designed quite uniquely, even to someone who has seen hundreds of flicks of this type.

The film is slightly let down by it's ending. I have since learned that a sequel is planted and already in production, but, without spoiling it, they could have gone another direction with it, especially as it takes a bit of a suspension of belief to swallow. That aside, the 90-minute run-time (every film should be this length) swiftly flies by. It has done massive business at the box-office, but really the relative silent nature of the soundtrack throughout, makes it far better suited to the home market, which is free from external distraction, where it should hopefully do well. Recommended.