Review: A Quiet Place - Day 1

Ah yes, the horror side story concept. So often the side story diverting from the main storyline never seems to capture the vibe as well as its' sister films. New heroes and threats never quite have the venomous steam as the predecessors. And the locale jumping to NYC is certainly nothing new in the horror genre. 

When I learned that we were getting a new Quiet Place without the principle cast, original director John Krasinski, and starting a prequel story set in NYC, I'm sure it's not a shock that I was apprehensive.

Michael Sarnoski ("Pig") clearly did not set out to do a cash in job on this. I would say this is one of the most respectful directing jobs of carrying on someone else's source material that I've ever seen. I think Cameron's "Aliens" is a good comparison, as that one elevated the source material with much more creature goodness, but maintained the heart of the series throughout.

Lupita Nyong'o stars as Sam, a hospice patient who has lost her in faith in everything but her service cat Frodo (Schnitzel and Nico). A hospice bus trip to a NYC theater just happens to coincide with the arrival of the incredibly attentive alien invaders, dozens of which immediately scour locally for unlucky noise-happy citizens. What follows could have easily been a standard survival horror, but not here.

Sarnoski's script immediately adds so much depth to Sam's character. Her survival instinct kicks in, and despite the pain of her condition, soldiers on. When Sam meets Eric (Joseph Quinn), having nearly drowned in a flooded subway tunnel, her attention also turns to helping keep him alive, and get to the evacuation boats departing NYC. 

Quinn's frantic performance is a fantastic one. Typically the terrified big-hearted stranger will either serve as tragic monster fodder, a love interest, a betrayer, or will inexplicably shed his fear to become a hero. Quinn does none of these here, and it comes off incredibly realistic. His panic acting when faced with too-close-for-comfort baddies is brutal to watch, and adds an additional layer of fear to the film.

I'd never forgive myself if i didn't mention the stellar animal performances of both Nico and Schnitzel as Frodo the cat. Sarnoski somehow got them to pull out suspicious wandering eyes, disarming tenderness, and some natural curiosity to Frodo's character. Serving as the proverbial canary in a coal mine, Frodo instinctively runs into new locations to survey for dangers before Sam's entrance. Not since Samantha in I Am Legend has an animal been such a compelling supporting character, and I rooted for Frodo the whole way.

Djimon Hounsou and Alex Wolff also put out very soulful supporting roles, and leave a strong impression. Hounsou also appeared in part 2 in a small role, and it was nice to see his added depth here. 

The real star of the show, naturally, are the alien visitors, and I'm happy to report that they have secured their menace from previous installments and do not lose an ounce of their unrelenting savagery. 

Being Day 1, it also removes the security blanket of a weakness for the threat to exploit. The only course is to run and hide.

Sarnoski opens the film with the average decibel level for the streets of NYC, and works in every conceivable audible bell and whistle in the film. Crackling gravel, heavy breathing, crowds en masse, and any sudden pop, tear, or clang creates non stop tension. And of course, the occasional ninny who cries out, and is immediately launched. 

As for the horror itself, there isn't much of it, to be completely fair. The first Quiet Place excelled in casually teeing up hazardous possibilities, and have them all explode in a series of terrifying events that never relents until the end credits. Part 2 carried on the story, but dialed back the terror. 

This one dials it back even farther, and the terror takes a back seat to a kind of melancholic lumber through a sudden apocalyptic event. The parallels to 9/11 add a somber vibe to an already sad situation. Every shot is a haunting and sad portrait of a lifeless NYC. Eric's hopeless fear and Sam's nihilistic acceptance of death create a powerful feeling of "maybe everything is not going to be ok".

That's not to say there isn't scares in this. There are several setpieces that are jarring, explosive and edge of your seat. There is a particularly haunting sequence set in a sewer tunnel that will have you holding your breath. The character arcs just happen to take more of center stage, and that's not a complaint at all. It has been quite a while  I really wanted all of the leads to survive.  

The script sets a big bold threat in a huge location, and yet somehow still feels like a very intimate ride, and further cements Sarnoski as a filmmaker to keep your eye on. 

Now, how about a nice slice of pizza?