A Quiet Place Review (No Spoilers)

Many movies come along that are entertaining. Many come along that aren’t. But every once in a while, a movie like A Quiet Place comes along: a game changer. Written, directed, and starred in by John Krasinski, famous actor best known for his role as Jim Halpert in The Office, this movie pushes boundaries in a whole new way.

For those who haven’t heard about the film, A Quiet Place is a thriller that revolves around one family and their attempt to survive in their horrific reality. Although it takes place on earth, their situation is very far from ours today. Alien creatures that hunt purely by sound have devastated Earth, forcing families such as this one to live in complete silence, else they be found and killed.

The premise of this movie in itself seems like the average thriller. Some sort of monster or alien with a trait that differentiates it from those in other films is hunting people down while the people are trying to stay alive and simultaneously find a way to kill the creature(s). It’s not the premise that makes it extraordinary though, it’s the execution. While most horror films rely on running away or hiding, keeping the lights off, and finding a way to get out, this one eerily normalizes the situation. As the creatures hunt purely by sound, the family still lives in their house, still finds time for education, and makes an effort to make the best of their situation. Only they do so in silence.

The silence is the most shocking and original aspect of this film. With a total of 90 lines in the whole film, the majority of the movie passes in silence. In many scenes, all that can be heard is breathing, the occasional quiet soundtrack, and sounds such as footsteps or wind. In fact, some of the scenes were so quiet that the music playing in the lobby of the movie theatre could be heard. But what makes silence so revolutionary? It’s the fact that the movie doesn’t conform. It doesn’t rely on what most movies rely on, and yet is still breathtaking. In doing something that no one else has done, Krasinski’s innovation shines through. He found new ways to capture attention, keep the audience interested, and get people on the edge of their seats. After all, with hundreds of new movies coming out every year, originality is a blessing to both the audience and the filmmakers. It opens doors for the future of filmmaking and inspires a whole new field of creativity.

And if all that doesn’t have you convinced, it was given a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes.