John Krasinski is not a name you would typically (or ever) associate with the horror genre. As an actor he's been in mostly comedic roles, and as a director he's done a few low-budget quirky indies. A Quiet Place marks his first ever widely released film (as a director) and his first foray into the jungle of horror films-- and he does not disappoint. For someone like Krasinski to step out of his comfort zone and step behind the lens of a genre he doesn't have any experience with, there has to be a hell of a good script to back it up. After seeing the film, it became clear why he was so drawn to the film. It's fresh, it's tense, and it's nothing I've ever seen in the horror genre. And it's really, really good, people.
Set only a few years in the future, the world has been ravaged by monstrous creatures who kill at even the slightest noise. However, because these creatures only possess the sense of hearing, the very few who've survived have learned to live in silence. They walk on roads of sand with their bare feet, they play board games with crocheted game pieces, and they speak entirely in sign language. We follow the Abbott family. We get a slight glimpse that there are a few other survivors, but not many. Papa Abbott (Krasinski), pregnant Mama Abbott (Emily Blunt) and their kids have survived in this world for at least two years. This new way of living has become routine for them and they have backup plans for everything. But, of course, all does not go according to plan. Little noises here and there, separation of family members, and the birth of an infant all lead to a very intense back half of the film.
Krasinski does a very good job of keeping the tension high and steady. Once the shit hits the fan, it does not stop spinning until the very last frame of the movie. There is hardly any dialogue in the entire film and most of it is spoken through sign language subtitles. The background music is scarce and the tiny noises of their lives are heightened to give the viewer an intense and breathless movie-going experience. The way the family keeps the noise to a minimum is very creative. The troubles they get into with noise, and how they get out of it, is also very inventive. And the creatures themselves are brilliantly crafted. They're fierce and fast and aggressive and terrifying. Krasinski does a good job of revealing them slowly over the course of the movie, only giving us a full look at the climax.
The biggest challenge facing the script and the film is getting these characters to connect with the audience without any dialogue. Not only do we care for this family, but we root for them. There is a significant amount of heart and emotion in the film. There's tears and heartache and real human depth and emotion. This is also something not very common in the genre and something an outsider like Krasinski is capable of bringing to the table. The other part of the movie that was really well done that immediately set the tone and terror of the movie is the first five minutes of the movie. It's one of the most shocking openers of a movie I've ever seen since Scream. The film hooks you with the horror, keeps you with the emotional connection, and leaves you out of breath by the end.
A Quiet Place is getting rave reviews, and they are well-deserved. There was really only one plot-holey thing about the movie that slightly irked me, but not enough to ruin anything about it. At a crisp 90 minutes, the film never over-stays its welcome. But make sure you don't see this movie in a full theater. This is one of those to see at noon on a Tuesday. The movie's scares are elemental to its silence and any giggling high school kids or douchebag there who laughs to mask the insecurities of being scared are going to ruin the film for you. I don't want to immediately pigeon-hole Krasinski as a director, but if this is the quality of horror films we're getting from actors who are more known for their comedic efforts, then I want Krasinski to stay in this genre as long as he possibly can.
B+
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