A film about the beauty of sound and the power of family
In John Krasinski’s last directorial effort, The Hollars, he used a technique of having a camera move up on Margo Martindale lying in a hospital bed suffering from cancer as she delivered a heartfelt monologue. It was a tired move in a film that was not just awfully unoriginal, but almost depressing. A Quiet Place, his follow-up project, sees the director using the exact same camera move on one of the film’s central characters. This time however, the moment is not only the highlight of the movie, but it could well be one of the most powerful movie moments of 2018 thanks to its tension, devastating emotion and the way both are interpreted by Krasinski. It’s the quintessential moment in the taut and gripping A Quiet Place, a film which signals the beginnings of a remarkable directing career.
The plot of A Quiet Place centers around the Abbotts; a loving family living in the post-apocalyptic rural countryside. Dad Lee (Krasinski), mom Evelyn (Emily Blunt) are parents to the deaf Regan (Millicent Simmonds), Marcus (Noah Jupe) and Beau (Cade Woodward). Due to events which are never fully explained, the Abbotts live in total silence due to the monstrous creatures which now plague earth and whose hunting instincts are triggered by sound. Despite this, Lee and Evelyn manage to create a stable life for their children. When a tragedy befalls them however, it tests both their strength and their love.
Before I get into any kind of analysis of the film, it cannot be stated enough just how much of a masterclass A Quiet Place is in terms of its editing. The use of editing has always been one of film’s most invaluable tools and Krasinski’s film only reinforces that notion in the way key moments are intercut with one another, generating the kind of human emotion and adrenaline-fueled suspense that exemplifies the power of editing. However it’s the way A Quiet Place approaches sound which makes the film feel like an altogether new kind of movie experience. Because the characters have forbidden themselves from talking, the sounds of the air, trees and all the other elements around them have been amplified. Not only does this raise the stakes in terms of the suspense (nothing gives off more tension than silence), but it reinforces the strength and importance of sound as a human sense. For everything else that happens in A Quiet Place, it’s sound that is the most cinematic aspect of the film. The rustling of trees, the cracking of a branch (and the danger such sounds could potentially signal) cannot help but heighten the viewer’s own senses and result in one of the most visceral cinematic experiences in quite some time.
For all it’s technical glory however, A Quiet Place is a story of a family. Driving the narrative forward is the strength of the familial bond in the face of definite odds and affecting tragedy. The Abbotts are a shown as a family being a family in spite of the horror going on around them. Even as the family grapples with guilt and resentment (a dark cloud which none of them can escape), they preserve and thrive as a unit, bringing out one another’s strengths as a means of survival. When the idea of sacrificing comes into play, it’s never a question for any of them. Each one of the Abbotts is willing to throw their life on the line for their loved ones almost as much as they’re willing to fight for them. And when such a moment does indeed come, it’s positively gut-wrenching. It’s hard not to note the slight parallels of families in today’s world living compromised lives as a result of “the state of things,” but A Quiet Place shows the love and the unity among those who love each other which cannot be shaken. One of the film’s rare dialogue scenes, sees Lee and Marcus standing by a waterfall and, protected by its natural sounds, let out a pair of spirited howls to the sky. It’s a beautiful father/son moment which shows that adversity cannot take all the light away.
Blunt and Krasinski have both put in many hours in a variety of projects which have always strived to showcase the best of what they have to offer. Yet the two have never been more sensitive and compelling than they are here. Krasinski goes to places of primal emotion as a man doing whatever he needs to in order to protect his family. Blunt (in an Oscar-worthy performance) takes a somewhat similar path, going for a pure rawness as a mama bear making sure he cubs are protected. Her work here is yet another revelation for the actress. As their offspring, Simmonds and Jupe (both of whom did tremendous work in last year’s Wonderstruck, Wonder and Suburbicon) are so in sync with the film’s emotional beats, turning in performances that are light years ahead of their young ages.
In case you hadn’t figured it out before, A Quiet Place is also a horror film. If I’ve neglected to comment too much on this side of the film, it’s because the flashes of horror are just that; quick spurts we know very little about other than the fact that any kind of noise whatsoever translates to“Soup’s on!” for the monsters on hand. Not helping matters is the fact that the creature designs look to have been pulled from a collection of lesser films, most notably Pitch Black. But none of this really matters much. Ultimately, it isn’t the horror which makes A Quiet Place a stunning piece of filmmaking, but rather the act of survival and resilience in the face of horror and the love that gives it strength.
The Package
A trio of featurettes are included with the release and should not be viewed until after watching the film.
The Lowdown
One of the greatest movies of the year and a genuine classic for years to come.
A Quiet Place is now available on Blu-Ray and DVD from Paramount.
