by Jake Bourgeois, Contributing Writer
The original A Quiet Place was such a singular theatergoing experience. Therefore, I had some trepidation when it was announced that it was getting a sequel. However, the initial trailer allayed some of my initial fears. I also figured writer/director John Krasinski had earned my trust with such a stellar opening effort for the franchise that the sequel was going to get me into a seat.
Before we go any further, a quick disclaimer. A Quiet Place Part II was my first time walking back into a movie theater in more than 14 months. While I don’t think the fact that I was excited for Bloodshot not to be my most recent movie seen in a theater had an impact on how I felt about this movie, it would be disingenuous not to at least acknowledge the possibility. With that said, let’s get to the task at hand.
As previously mentioned, Krasinski returns both write and direct the follow up to the 2018 original. The sequel picks up right where the first film left off and sees the Abbott family leaving their home, where most of the first film takes place, and venturing out past where they’ve gone since being forced to adapt to their new reality. I once again found myself impressed with how Krasinski handled both the script and direction here. He gets the lone screenplay credit here, after having two co-writers on the first script (both Scott Beck and Bryan Woods get character credits for the sequel). The way the film is structured had me hooked immediately. The opening sequence sucked me right back into the world of the film and had me on the edge of my seat rooting for our protagonists. With his direction, Krasinski once again successfully builds tension that comes with the dangers of being constantly hunted by creatures with super-sensitive hearing.
When it comes to the cast, the major players are back. For the Abbott family, the matriarch is played by Emily Blunt and the Abbott children are once again played by Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe. There aren’t many newcomers, but new addition Cillian Murphy plays a pivotal role and is always a welcome presence. By expanding our setting for Part II, we get to see our characters challenged in ways they weren’t in the original and the new and unfamiliar locales keep the sequel feeling fresh. Not to mention the Abbott newborn, a late arrival in the first film to add some tension to the climax, has to be considered throughout. A baby is not aware that they’ve come into an apocalyptic setting where one mistimed, cranky outburst could be the difference between life and death.
I want to take a little bit of time to give one member of the cast a little extra attention. Though Millicent Simmonds certainly had plenty to do in the original, her role specifically is ramped up in the sequel and I could not be happier about it. It could be argued she’s our main character — or at the very least, our co-lead. While she was great in the original, she’s even better here when asked to do more. It’s a spectacularly powerful and emotional performance and the standout of the film — even when sharing the screen with seasoned vets. Simmonds, like the character she plays, is deaf. While the sound work is always spectacular, it really shines when the audience is put in her shoes and the audio is cut completely. When I first saw Simmonds in Wonderstruck and then A Quiet Place (her only other theatrical films to date), I thought it was incredibly cool that a young, deaf actress was getting opportunities for roles. I only hope as her career progresses, that continues to be the case and the types of roles she is given are expanded.
Diving briefly into the negative: though the film succeeds in its creation of a tense atmosphere, it doesn’t quite hit the heights set by its predecessor. Perhaps because of that, I found I noticed our monsters plot-dependent speed after a loud noise more here. That, however, is about the end of the list. Krasinski really did a stellar job creating a quality follow up.
Much like the first, Part II comes to a bit of an abrupt end. There are no clear breadcrumbs on what a possible third might look like, but with this effort, Krasinski has shown he’s not a one-hit wonder when it comes to this universe. If there’s another to come, you can bet I’ll be there.
Grade: A-
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