Going back to where it all started, A Quiet Place Day One is a big city disaster flick with plenty of monster action and a story about mourning what could have been. Silence is creepier in the city. 

A Quiet Place Day One Review

Six years ago, John Krasinski debuted A Quiet Place, a sci-fi monster movie set in a world where aliens came to Earth and killed anyone who spoke above a whisper. Four years ago, Part II’s prologue teased what it was like when the creatures first arrived but hearing a story told from the relative safety of a small town is quite different from watching it happen. Silence can be eerie enough in the country but imagine what it would be like to live in a city that is constantly outputting 90 decibels (identical to a never-ending scream), when suddenly everything must go silent. 

As the title implies, A Quiet Place: Day One reveals the horror of the first day(s) when the sound sensitive, sightless aliens first invaded. The action is uprooted from Upstate New York and planted in the middle of the city that never sleeps. It can be a risky move for a prequel to introduce new locations and characters, but in this case it works and it works well. The shift in scenery and point of view successfully elevates the devastation, tension, and emotional turmoil established in the first two films. 

A Quiet Place: Day One is a big city disaster flick complete with plenty of monster carnage. But despite the shift in scale, writer-director Michael Sarnoski (taking over for Krasinski, who is an executive producer with a “story by” credit) has penned a film that remains character-driven. The story navigates the complexities of dealing with loss and unrealized plans. Sarnoski examines these emotions not only in terms of the bigger picture but more importantly on a personal level. To pull it off and make an impactful statement in a mostly dialogue-less movie, it takes some incredible talent. Fortunately this cast is led by the always outstanding Lupita Nyong’o’s and a scene-stealing therapy cat named Frodo.

Samira (Nyong’o) agreed to go on a group outing to New York with her hospice facility. She’s in the final stages of terminal cancer, making her (understandably) bitter and a bit hostile towards those around her, everyone except for her therapy cat Frodo. Sam is determined to make the most of the situation and get her hands on one last slice of Patsy’s famous pizza. (Side note: If you haven’t been to Patsy’s in East Harlem you’re missing out.) But soon she is thrust into a whole new fight for her life when aliens invade the planet, snatching up anyone who dares to make a noise.

Realizing her borrowed time is even shorter and reeling from the lack of pain meds, she decides to risk everything in order to get that slice of pie. (It might sound a little cheesy, pun not intended, but there is actually a reason for it and well, you might find yourself tearing up over pizza.) Along the way, Sam and Frodo meet British law student Eric (Joseph Quinn) who is one fright away from a full blown panic attack. With his big golden retriever energy, he follows her despite her initial protests. They end up forming a real friendship, mostly developed through looks, gestures, and actions.

Before this goes any further, yes, Frodo survives. As a cat person I was very concerned for that adorable tuxedo feline every time something intense happened. Nico and Schnitzel, the two cats who play Frodo, are scene-stealers who do their job well. Whether they are leading characters to plot points or providing some much needed cuddles and purrs when we all need it, I was never upset to see those whiskers taking center stage. As a cat mom though I had to remember this is movie magic because my two boys are never silent! Especially not when they are hungry or displeased. Maybe that’s why Frodo is not a ginger. 

In terms of expanding the lore, Day One resists the urge that other prequels have– to add unnecessary fluff to the franchise. We still don’t know much about the monsters’ origins and I prefer it that way. It maintains their terrifying presence even if we get more shots of them this time around. It doesn’t take long for Sam to glean some important information, such as staying still and hiding is an effective way of evading them. Also that louder noises can mask the quieter ones, so talking behind the water flowing out of a large fountain is safe. Essentially, everything seen in the other movies, but Sarnoski is wise not to make new rules. Like my uncle always told me, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. 

As mentioned, the powerful, emotional moments of this film would fall flat without a cast as great as this one. So much is communicated in only passing glances, body language, and the very brief dialogue bursts. The previous films conveyed the plight of mankind on a small scale but Day One truly dials up the terror felt to 100 percent. As we witness the survivors of the initial onslaught huddled together, trying to process such a catastrophic event in complete silence, you can’t help but think could I do this? Would I be able to remain quiet if everyone I loved was dead around me? Could I weather this storm without uttering a single sound? The truth is, I don’t know but I can see how it would be almost damn near impossible for many. 

Nyong’o is tasked with most of the emotional heavy lifting, but she is more than up for it. She is a proven powerhouse of talent, and every time I see her she never ceases to capture my attention. Nyong’o gets us invested in Sam’s story right from the start which is what makes a slice of pie so heartrending. Her bond with Frodo aside, the chemistry between her and Quinn is strong, allowing them to say so much with barely any words. Their friendship is more believable than half of the ones we find in movies with far more dialogue. Quinn, for his part, wears his heart on his sleeve and is genuinely kind and caring. Some of his gestures are so sweet it’s like having a book boyfriend come to life. 

Emotions aside, this movie is pretty terrifying. I screened it in IMAX, which is generally my go to format anyways, so it felt like I was in the middle of the action, which I would definitely not want to be in real life! This movie is the perfect example of the phrase silence is deafening. You never really think about how loud things are, like opening up a can of cat food, until your very life depends on how quietly you can do it. There are lots of shots of the creatures lurking on the sides of buildings or prowling the streets. When they do attack it is efficiently brutal and just the thought that they could (and will) makes the anxiety palpable. Jump scares and tension you cut with a knife, Sarnoski milks that PG-13 rating for all its worth. 

VERDICT

A Quiet Place: Day One is the rare sequel that proves franchises can grow beyond its core characters if the story is solid. It delivers all the big city massacre action fans could ask for while still grounding the fantastical with a very real and very human story. Nyong’o and Quinn prove to be an excellent pairing as they guide us through the rubble as quietly as possible. The ending is bittersweet and will leave many gutted (myself included) but it fits the trajectory of the film and doesn’t feel like a cheap emotional trick. Fans of the franchise will be pleased with this entry but it’s also accessible for anyone who doesn’t know anything about A Quiet Place. Oh and Frodo is the best. 

A Quiet Place: Day One releases in theaters June 28. It is rated PG-13 for terror and violent content/bloody images with a runtime 100 minutes.