Review of A Quiet Place (2018) by Flipje — 13 Feb 2020

I give the film a 2/10 namely because it was an interesting concept. Back in the eighties, Hollywood dabbled in films that were unique and driven by a fascinating take/premise on a given subject. So when I first heard about this film, I was intrigued and being a fan of suspense, of Alien and Aliens, I was curious while at the same time skeptical. I tend to find over-praised films suspicious. A Quiet Place has only the unique concept going for it. Beyond that, I found the story boring and lacking in any sense. As soon as I started to watch it, I began to shake my head. These creatures are attracted to sound and here we have a little boy running around an abandoned grocery store. Okay. He is bare foot but god, these parents are idiots. The movie is using this character only for the sake of exposition. Why would a scene like this exist otherwise? We need to set up the situation. Fine but if this was a realistic situation, these parents wouldn't need to explain that something was too loud when his toy is taken form him. In fact, I would be very certain such parents would use punitive measurements to stifle the childlike element of play in a raucous and irresponsible kid. Yet the movie must movie on. Yet after he is lectured, his sister, behind their parents' back hands him the toy. Great. Okay. And the boy has to have the batteries which are in reach and from there on, I knew what was going to happen. You don't have to watch too many movies to predict the results of all this. Again, I admire the film's premise but it leaves me with too many questions. For one, why not create a soundproof house? How can the creatures blindly navigate through forests? Do they use sonar and if so, why can't they use this to find their food/prey? And if they are not present near waterfalls, wouldn't it work out that emulating the sound of a waterfall be helpful in protecting one's family? There are other questions but these are only my handful that bothered me. Otherwise, I couldn't finish the film. After what must have been the shortest baby-birthing moment in history, the night of suspense continues on for this family. There is a tap left on. There is flood into the sound proof room. There is a nail in a place where a nail shouldn't be. The screenplay needs to happen but the lack of plausibility was getting on my nerves and I switched it off. I would avoid this one unless turning off your brain is easily done.

Again, a fascinating premise but nothing beyond it. Other than the regret and guilt and sorrow hanging over the loss of idiot boy who had to have his toy, you know little about these characters. They have no other motivations other than survive but even in Alien, the group of space riggers had distinct personalities or backgrounds. Who were these people before the invasion? You never get to find out. Frustrating and bland at the same time. Pass.