A Quiet Place Part 2
A worthy sequel full of thrills, heart, and tension.
The highly anticipated sequel of one my favourite films from 2018, A Quiet Place, has finally arrived on streaming services. Due to the pandemic, I was unable to watch the sequel in theatres; however, I was lucky enough to watch it for free on Amazon Prime while I still have a trial. Needless to say, it did not disappoint! MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD.
The second installment of A Quiet Place starts out as a prequel of sorts. We are shown Day 1 of the alien invasion and the moment our protagonists first encountered them. It’s an intense sequence despite our knowledge that they survive the year, thanks to John Krasinski’s direction in the scene which contains gripping car stunt work. In comparison to the first movie, the opening scene is not as shocking and arguably not as strong, but it works as it satisfies the curiosities of how these monsters came to Earth.
After the title card accompanied by a haunting theme, the movie picks up right where the first one left off. As Evelyn (Emily Blunt) cocks her rifle, the scene continues with the family realizing they must relocate after their home is destroyed. From here, events are set in motion which lead to the overarching plot of the movie.
There are two separate stories that occur simultaneously, one is more prominent and plot-driven, while the other is more for extra thrills. Both contain extremely intense and distressing scenes which could rival the first movie depending on preference. One aspect to note is the significant increase in the use of spoken dialogue and sound in this movie. Part of what made the original so tense and suspenseful was the prolonged use of complete silence. Sounds that would usually be considered a normal volume suddenly became very loud and startling after long and silent scenes. Regardless, the sequel maintains the intensity, heart, and family themes from the first, and makes it feel somewhat fresh again.
Part II also feels more large-scale and covers more land compared the home-bound nature of the original. It also has more focus on the daughter Regan (Millicent Simmonds) and the new character Emmett (Cillian Murphy). The movie teased the idea that the “people out there aren’t worth saving” and never quite followed up on that aspect. It seems as though they may have been hinting towards cannibalism or something just as disturbing, but it was never delved into. I would have liked to see a little more exploration of that, especially considering how little we’ve seen of other humans and how they are surviving.
The ending of the film is almost a mirror of the first one in the sense that they both reach a climax and end abruptly. This didn’t work as well as it did in the original, mostly because it feels more unsatisfying due to the separation in the two storylines. It practically screams for a third movie, although, I am not sure where the story could go without feeling repetitive.
Once again, the performances are excellent with the addition of Cillian Murphy to the original cast (Emily Blunt, Noah Jupe, Millicent Simmonds, and a brief appearance of John Krasinski). All of their pain and anxiety is felt while watching them on screen. The score composed by Marco Beltrami is horrifying and pulse-pounding. It adds a lot to the atmosphere of the movie and has moments of tenderness.
Overall, A Quiet Place Part II is a thrilling continuation of the original and has a natural progression of story that is sure to entertain.
