A QUIET PLACE is an impressive movie that every horror buff should watch.

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🎬 A Quiet Place: Part 2 sees our protagonists find their voices (Basic Review) 🎬

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Director and Writer (Platform): John Krasinski - based on characters by Brian Woods & Scott Beck (NOW)

Publisher (Release): Paramount Pictures (2020)

Part 1 of A Quiet Place is one of the freshest post-apocalyptic horror dramas I've watched in recent memory; Part 2, remarkably, manages to carry that atmosphere forward, imbuing more frenetic action thanks to a bigger budget. Louder than its predecessor, Part 2 still has masterful sound design and character arcs, especially for the young ones in the cast. Anchored by Emily Blunt's fantastic, measured performance, the Abbott family's second fight for survival weaves a surprising tale of heroics in spite of futility.

Cillian Murphy is an excellent addition, but his character's introduction is clunky and his use as primarily a chaperone is the first real misstep the film takes before ending on a high but jagged note.

Overall, the themes of isolation, loss, and survival are as potent as ever, and Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe deliver stellar performances that embody the core story of taking back control regardless of the dangerous horror they'll have to face on the way.

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This A Quiet Place (2018) Review Will Top Off Your Gas With Thoughts and Prayers!

Rookie-Critic's Top 20 Films of 2021: Honorable Mentions - A Quiet Place Part II (dir. John Krasinski)

A sequel I was excited for and, at the same time, hesitant of. I wasn't sure John Krasinski's 2018 modern horror masterpiece needed a sequel. I'm glad I was wrong, as this movie took what I'm sure is now a franchise into great new territory. The ending may have been a little lacking when compared to the rest of the film, but that doesn't dock too many points from it as the rest of the film is sufficiently suspenseful and great.

Score: 9/10

Currently available to stream on Amazon Prime.

A quiet place part ii

In their B+ review for IndieWire, Kate Erbland states that there's "an inherent tension in watching anyone do anything that might kick up a bit of noise. "The layered sound design, fittingly, is a thing of beauty," writes David Rooney for The Hollywood Reporter. And like the first film, this one also benefits immeasurably from Marco Beltrami’s vigorous orchestral score, which shifts between ominous groans and thundering high drama, dialing up the tension throughout." Parts teeming with noise-sensitive monsters that kill anything unlucky enough to move above a whisper. Once out in the open, the family crosses paths with a jaded survivor named Emmett (Peeky Blinders' Cillian Murphy). Naturally, the sound design once again takes center stage as Evelyn Abbott (Emily Blunt) and her two children Regan and Marcus (Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe) leave the relative safety of their farmhouse for parts unknown. Per Deadline's Pete Hammond, the follow-up feels even scarier in the wake of the global health crisis. "This is a sequel that seems viable, particularly after living through a pandemic that weirdly reinforces the themes of survival that run through the heart of Krasinski’s horror show and might give it more pertinence that had it been released when initially planned," reads his review. "On the most basic level, it definitely is a terrifying time at the movies, if that is what you are looking for this summer." "Krasinski so effectively embraces the opposite strategy: Less is more, suggestion can be scarier than showing everything, and few things are more unnerving than silence." "If you’re vaccinated and feeling safe enough to step foot outside your home, Krasinski has crafted a followup that justifies the trip," writes Variety's Peter Debruge. But is writer-director John Krasinski's horror sequel worth an in-person journey to the theater? According to the first reviews, that answer is yes. After more than a year of COVID-related delays, A Quiet Place Part IIis finally scheduled to noiselessly makes its way into theaters next Friday (May 28) for Memorial Day weekend.

A Quiet Place Part II

It’s finally happening. Summer movie season is here. I know, I know, the big lizard and monkey punchfest was technically the start of summer movie season, but it’s officially Memorial Day weekend, and the first truly anticipated (for me, anyway) releases of 2020 are finally hitting the megaplex. I LOVED A Quiet Place, both for its originality and its excellent performances, so I was eagerly anticipating Part II. However, I think we all know it’s hard for lightning to strike like that twice, and a sequel this anticipated has to be a least a little disappointing, right? Well...

Honestly, it’s a solid, solid effort. The gimmicks are much the same as in the first film, and we retread a lot of similar territory in one of the movie’s two main plots, centering around Evelyn (Emily Blunt), Marcus (Noah Jupe), and the just-born baby from the first film. BUT, the other plot, centering around Regan (Millicent Simmonds) and begrudging travel companion Emmett (Cillian Murphy) allows us to venture outside of the insular environment of the first film and discover more of this strange new world, and that is by far the stronger half. 

Some thoughts:

Love this first scene of the flashback to Day 1 when the aliens arrived. Kudos to John Krasinski as a director and of course the entire sound design team for making sure that we as an audience are attuned to every little sound the characters are making as they go through their last day of normal life. Flashbacks like this are usually a respite from the tension rather than a source of creeping dread, knowing that there’s a boogeyman waiting to jump out but not knowing when, and it’s an incredibly effective device here. The downside is, it just makes me miss John Krasinski from the rest of the film’s action. 

Two Very Good Dogs right off the bat (a German Shepherd and a red hound of some kind). I bet dogs don’t fare well against the aliens, although we see no dog violence or harm onscreen. A world without dogs is maybe the worst thing I can think of :(

Ok, second worst thing - being barefoot all the time. But then Cillian Murphy shows up and has some very sensible shoes, so that makes me think this family is barefoot for no fucking reason, and that just seems wildly irresponsible! This is why people invented shoes! You might be at risk from these aliens, but I’ll tell you what is silent and WILL kill you - sepsis from your nasty ass foot infection.

I know there’s a certain amount of suspension of disbelief that comes with the logistics of making a film but like...this baby was born approximately yesterday. There is no way it would A) have its eyes open or B) be smiling and cooing or C) not look like a fugly old man. 

Cillian Murphy? More like Killin-it Murphy. That man can do more with those startling blue eyes in that razor-sharp face that most people can convey with their whole body. He’s a real standout here, and his chemistry with Millicent Simmonds is fantastic. Their journey is compelling because it moves us forward into the unknown, and the obstacles they face are new ones. 

Did I Cry? I teared up every time Regan invoked the spirit of her dad, and at the line “I’m nothing like him. You are.” they started to fall for real. There’s never a moment that equals the gut punch climax of the first movie, but the affection for these characters is still very real. 

Even though we’ve seen a lot of these tricks before, the gimmick still works. Make a noise and you die? There’s no better way to ramp up the tension, and by having the characters split up, Krasinski tries to keep the stakes as high as possible among all of the characters in multiple different ways, which is pretty effective. The monsters are fast, they’re scary, and the characters are good people who love each other, and you want them to survive. That’s a pretty good recipe for a thriller. 

Much like the first time around, the ending is so abrupt as to feel a little sudden or underbaked. Your mileage may vary, but I wasn’t wild about it this time around. Not a BAD ending, but not a great one either. 

Overall, a solid follow-up and a great expansion of a story that has so much potential for world-building. The performances are all good, but Simmonds and Murphy are the real reason to buy a ticket to this one. Seeing it on the big screen was absolutely the way to go, and this was exactly the kind of experience I was hoping for now that I’m back at the movies. 

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A Quiet Place p2

…was amazing! Saw it tonight. Better than the first one imo although I missed John Krasinski in it lol, but he did make appearance at the start in a flashback, and after all he did write and direct! Brilliant 👏 the entire casts acting was *chefs kiss* and the plot *slight spoiler* with the guy and the daughter in the movie was sweet, badass and low-key gave me the last of us vibes in a way but not completely ya know? Anyway 10/10 👌🏻 I actually hope they make a third… not usually one to hope for more but I really enjoyed the premise of this one and finding out more about these creatures aswell..I wish Emily Blunt had more to do in this movie although she was absolutely incredible and badass in her parts! Her kids in the movie were also so great and courageous, it was heartwarming and badass, I keep saying that but it’s true lol | ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Quiet Place Part II (dir. John Krasinski).

[It] tries to focus on escalation and continued suspense but ends up mostly as a rehash of the original because of those aims. Krasinski continues to show his skills as both a talented writer and director of tension and thrills. However, the creative novelty and family aspect of the film's initial premise fails to come away as particularly fresh the second time around.

A Quiet Place will always be one of the most shocking films for me as a non-horror aficionado because I never expected to love it as much as I do. I’ve also never seen a film like this in theaters, and that in and of itself, feels like some sort of an accomplishment. But in spite of its suspense and the gore tied to the monsters, A Quiet Place has some of the most beautiful stories to tell. It’s a love letter to the next generation. A love letter to understanding people and families and especially children.

And A Quiet Place II is an exceptional sequel because the franchise continues to understand the importance of details along with the unbridled spectacle of love. The second film in particular screams through powerful sequences that showcase the fact that though people operate differently, when they’re on the same page, the results will so often be met with success.

Emily Blunt shines as brilliantly and as hauntingly as she did in the first film, and I’m back on my soapbox screaming about how she should’ve won an Oscar for the original film. (Give her the award!) But also, as much as Blunt shines with a full range of emotions, I came out of the film stunned mostly by Millicent Simmonds’ impeccable performance as Regan Abbott. And while Simmonds was astounding in the first film, she is, without a question, the star of the second, and the performer who’s deserving of accolades left and right. Let the campaign begin.

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A Review of “A Quiet Place Part II (2021)”

A Quiet Place was the most surprising hit in 2018. It gave us something refreshingly new in the horror franchise and it was best of all, a great movie. When a sequel was announced, I wasn't remotely surprised and was also thrilled about it. The premise is "Following the deadly events at home, the Abbott family must now face the terrors of the outside world as they continue their fight for survival in silence. Forced to venture into the unknown, they quickly realize that the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats that lurk beyond the sand path". So does the sequel live up to the first movie?

Firstly, the returning actors Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe are still great in their roles as the Abbott family. Special praise to Noah as there is a scene where he gets hurt and his acting made it seem like he was in actual pain. Their characters also have great character evolution from the first movie. Evelyn Abbott (Emily Blunt) goes from the mother in distress to being the one who has to lead their family. Regan Abbott (Millicent Simmond) now embodies the heroism that her father had and is more forward to helping others. Marcus Abbott (Noah Jupe) is an interesting one as he was always a more frightened character in the first movie and part 2 seems to become more fearful due to the loss of his father. He does have an arc in this movie and it is very satisfying to watch him transform. Cillian Murphy is the newest addition and he is great. He is the opposite of Lee Abbott (John Krasinski) as he plays someone who is a hardened survivor who has little hope, but not zero, for the world. Cillian conveys this pained character perfectly and is a great new protagonist for the sequel.

Additionally, everything else I loved from the first movie is also here. The tension in each set piece is here, the great sound design is here, the effective use of the music score is here, the use of visual storytelling is here, the emphasis on characters and some great monster action is also here. A Quiet Place Part 2 also has an amazing introduction scene that might be one of the best starts to a movie I've seen in a long time. What this sequel does new is that it starts expanding more of the world-building as we see more of the outside world. I like that we get scenes showing day 1 of when the monsters came and I also like that we get to see more different survivors in this new world.

If I do have to force myself for some flaws then one would be that it feels a lot less scary than the first movie. While a lot of the monster action in the first movie was in closed and claustrophobic areas, here it is in more open areas which reduces a lot of the scare. There is also something that happens midway which results in two different storylines and perspectives. One perspective is more story focused and the more interesting one while the other is just there to give the other characters a monster set piece. It results in less plot cohesion compared to the first movie.

There is also a problem from the first movie that is still here which is some characters still do dumb things. It's not a typical horror movie dumb decision but it can annoy you a bit. There are also some silly things in the plot if you think about it too hard so you got to suspend your belief a little to enjoy the movie. Another small problem I have is the VERY ABRUPT ending. It felt like there should have been at least 5 more minutes of scenes after to give a more satisfying ending. The first movie had an ending that left it open for a potential sequel but was a complete and satisfying ending that didn't need a sequel. Here the ending is a very blatant sequel hook that 100% warrants a sequel as that was not complete at all.

Overall, if you love the first movie then you are definitely going to like part II. Everything that I loved in the first movie is here. While it doesn't do a lot new or better than the 1st, it does the things that made it great in the first place and does it well. While it isn't as great as the first movie, none of the flaws stated take away from the experience. I thoroughly enjoyed A Quiet Place Part II and cannot wait for part 3 or any spinoffs being planned.

My Week(s) in Reviews: June 5, 2021

A Quiet Place Part II (John Krasinski, 2021)

Simple. Economical. Tense as F*ck!

Krasinski knocks this follow-up to his outrageously effective 2018 horror film out of the park. After leading off with a masterful intro, A Quiet Place Part II immediately takes us right to where the first one left off. After that, we waste no time getting to work. Krasinski has no interesting in filler, and constructs set-piece after set-piece that moves these characters forward with as much tension as humanly possible. Despite not containing anything nearly as ballsy as the opening to the first film, A Quiet Place Part II delivers more suspense, jumps and violent alien action than its predecessor in a way that feels natural instead of desperate.

And that sound design!!! - 9.5/10

The Mitchells vs. The Machines (Mike Rianda & Jeff Rowe, 2021)

Cute.

The animation is great, and the story's got a lot of heart, but I'm really just too old for the humor and a lot of the action is the wrong kind of silly. So... yeah. That's all I've got. - 6/10

Greenland (Ric Roman Waugh, 2020)

Significantly better than expected.

Butler puts a lot of his goofy machismo aside to accentuate his character's desperation, here, and it pays off. They opt to tell this story with a greater focus on the human angle than the always crowd-pleasing 'disaster porn' angle, and that also pays off.

Also, most of this plays out very similar to Spielberg's War of the Worlds without the aliens. That's a compliment. - 7/10

Enjoy!

-Timothy Patrick Boyer.

🍿 A Quiet Place is the manifestation of silence is deafening - Basic Review 🍿

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Director and Writers (Platform): John Krasinski and Brian Woods & Scott Beck (Prime Video)

Publisher (Release): Paramount Pictures (2018)

A Quiet Place: Part 1, to this day, is still one of the freshest apocalyptic horrors (and just horror in general) I've seen. Thoughtfully paced and wonderfully plotted, Emily Blunt and John Krasinski head the Abbott family as they live their lives in a world where one single peep of noise will kill them. Selling this premise and its mysterious deadly creatures is an opening that holds nothing back, family dynamics that shine thanks to spectacular casting, and smart sound design that masterfully plays with silence. It's this latter part that truly hits the viewer hard, with dialogue all but non-existent, causing the viewer an unbelievable amount of tension and panic whenever a single, simple noise is heard.

It's a film on another level, no doubt about it.

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A Quiet Place Part II Review

A Quiet Place Part II is written and directed by John Krasinski who also reprises his role from the first film albeit in a smaller capacity. The film stars Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe, and Djimon Hounsou. Set shortly after the events of the first film, the Abbot family leave their home and head out into the rest of the world. Along their journey they realize that there is more danger out in the world than just the creatures that hunt them. I loved the first film and I was eagerly excited and curious to see how a sequel would turn out in this world. It turns out Part II is just as fun and entertaining as the first with some thrilling new sequences that still keeps the heart of what made the first film what it was. 

There’s not a bad performance in this film as everyone does excellent work. Emily Blunt is terrific and awesome as she always is and continues to be that great mother of this family in the sequel. Millicent Simmonds who in the first film warmed our hearts continues to do that again in this film. Her character has a much bigger role here and goes on her own journey in this apocalyptic world away from her family. Cillian Murphy who’s introduced as a friend of the family is a heartbreaking and complex character, but Murphy gives this great performance and goes on a path of self redemption while trying to remember that there can be good in the world. No matter how small or big there’s not a wasted role or performance in this film, everyone is great. 

I think with this sequel Krasiniski stepped up as a director and how he tells a story. He creates these great tension fueled sequences that rival some of those tense moments from the first film. Particularly the opening sequence is one of the best cold opens to a horror film I’ve seen and has shades of the opening of the first Last of Us video game. He doesn’t pull any punches with the storytelling here and keeps you on your feet when you need to be. There’s also the smaller character moments Krasinski gives us to help alleviate the tension and make this film what it is where we care about this family. The storytelling that Krasiniski does in this film is exceptional and I hope I get to see him make more films like this in the future outside of this world he helped create.  

I’d say my only issue with this film was that we didn’t get more of the family together as they were seen in the first film. I can see this story element working and not working for some audiences. Regardless of how I feel about it, I think it was a smart choice as it was able to branch out and open this world up a bit more. I’ll probably appreciate that story choice more as time goes on, it’s just still fresh in my head as something I’m on the fence about. All that being said, this was one of the better horror sequels that I’ve seen in my life. I hope this story is not over as I feel like there’s a third film with this family that can wrap everything up and give us a great bookend to these films. 

A Quiet Place (2018)

If they hear you, they hunt you.

Who are we if we can't protect them? We have to protect them.

After three years since its release, A Quiet Place has garnered much attention for being thing amazing horror film that is sure to keep you on your toes. After watching this waste of 90 minutes, both of us were throughly confused as to what this film did that grand such attention.

The concept of these blind homicidal aliens that have super sensitive hearing and this ‘final family’ with a deaf daughter is interesting initially. However, nothing happened plot wise and it took more than an hour for them to even hint at the monsters’ weakness. The rules of this world are at times contradicting and make no sense. The weakness didn't make much sense, has no one tried microphone feedback before this point? Or calling someone from another phone and putting them close together? Or a dog whistle? Why was it at this point in time, the only saving grace is some convenient feedback from a cochlear implant? The way this film ended on a cliffhanger felt more akin to that of a TV Pilot rather than a feature length film. Honestly, it is probably one of the worst movie endings that either of us have ever seen.

The alien monsters are so inconsistent. In the opening sequence you see them immediately arrive at the origin of a sound, but then later in the film Marcus screams and it takes the monster minutes to arrive and doesn’t even do anything. There’s just so many scenes were sounds should be prominent, but it isn’t and it feels unnatural and false, the monsters would be on their ass if the film was consistent in what it established.

Overall, the plot was disengaging and the characters were blank slates and one dimensional. The concept of having to be quiet is interesting, and how a family like theirs would manage was shown in an interesting way (ie. the sand, and the chip aisle being completely full.) However, the concept doesn’t work for a feature in my opinion.

Yea Dad, Wakanda Forever.

3/10

A Quiet Place Part II (2021) Review

This film series is starting to remind me of The Walking Dead. Unfortunately, that is not a compliment...

Plot: Following the deadly events at home, the Abbott family must now face the terrors of the outside world as they continue their fight for survival in silence. Forced to venture into the unknown, they quickly realize that the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats that lurk beyond the sand path.

In a nutshell this sequel picks off straight after the events of the first film. The first film being a huge surprise that featured an original idea for the horror genre and the overall cinema viewing experience (yeah, try and slurp on your slushies loud now, ya bastards!!) and featuring a great blend of tone and tension with no release where you’re clinging to your seats real TIGHT. John Krasinski directed the hell out of that movie. He directed it FIRMLY and he directed it HARD!!… Sorry, I’ve recently been rewatching The Office (US) (ironically also featuring Mr Krasinski!) and now I’m all about ‘that’s what she said’ jokes. Anyway, naturally the first film was a huge success and garnered enough revenue for a sequel, and then the COVID pandemic hit which postponed this movie to this year and then it came out and I didn’t watch it because look, your geezer here has a busy life, he ain’t got so much time on his hands like he used to, he can’t just swashbuckle and see every cinema release on the planet, so I don’t apologise for this very very late (by numerous months) review of A Quite Place Part DEUX which is French for learn some French!!

A Quiet Place didn’t need a sequel. Yes you can say the first one ended on a cliff-hanger, but it was the kind of cliff-hanger which didn’t necessarily needed to be answered. The result is now we have a sequel which, though still filled with moments of tension and good performances, comes off as unnecessary. There’s a bit more world building however it is limited, and the plot progression is near to none. Following the discovery of how to kill the monsters in the first film, in this one we go ahead and learn... how to kill the monsters from the first film. Give them tinnitus, get a shotgun and George Ezra them in the face!! Rather than grow the story, they went in a circle and rehashed the same story on a slightly bigger scale. Heck, even the introduction of Cillian Murphy’s character is mainly for the purpose of replacing the father figure that died in the previous film. Even has the beard and all! There’s a reason I referred to The Walking Dead at the start of this review. There doesn’t seem to be an end goal. It’s just the same thing over and over again and honestly it drags, This movie isn’t particularly long and yet it feels long. 

I should also talk about the characters. In the first film they all seemed more intelligent. They were aware of what they could and couldn’t do, so they behaved themselves sensibly and carefully. I mean, yeah, it all went to crap at the end, but that was more due to a load of heavy bad luck. In this sequel however all the characters fall into the horror movie trope of making purposeful stupid decisions. Characters now think it is okay to go around and take unneeded risks every now and then. For example, our central family split up early on in the film due to the deaf girl deciding to go on a solo suicide mission which makes me wonder why James Gunn didn’t cast her in The Suicide Squad. And yes, I’m going to keep referencing that movie in my reviews, I loved it, it was great, all hail The Suicide Squad!! So yes, deaf girl does her thing, the mother decides to take a detour and visit her son’s grave because, you know, who cares if monsters are lurking about and then the son decides to become young Sherlock Holmes and go out and about and investigate whilst everyone else is out cause you know, monsters don’t eat kids apparently. Cillian Murphy’s character to be fair seemed like the more logical thinker this time around and I warmed to him quite quickly, and Murphy delivers the emotional baggage of his character well. We also have Djimon Hounsou pop up in a role which literally reflects how stupid characters are in this movie. 

It’s evident that this sequel was rushed and that John Krasinski originally only had a plan for one movie and a very good one in all honesty, and then business meant business meaning they wanted more dollar dollar bills and hence here we are. I don’t want to say that A Quiet Place Part II is terrible. The sound design is still incredible and as I said, there are real decent moments of tension that will tinker with your nerves, but overall I found myself to be disappointed with this one. I hear talk that they may be planning further sequels, and that’s all well and good, but I hope they take more time on them and maybe consider actually moving the story forward.

Overall score: 5/10

A Quiet Place Part II: ***1/2 out of 5

When A Quiet Place premiered in 2018, it surprised viewers in two notable ways: we learned the co-star of a hit sitcom had the capacity to write and direct a great horror film and that this horror film actually had a lot to say, even though its characters could say little. More accurately, they were forced to say little lest the sound of their voices attract the disturbingly angular and unrelenting alien creatures that had no qualms about shutting them up…permanently. It was the perfect metaphor for an American presidency whose ‘leader’ wanted nothing more than to silence and persecute his detractors, something at which he was far less successful than history’s other monstrous dictators.

Following several delays this post-apocalyptic sequel had to endure due to a very real pandemic still going strong, A Quiet Place Part II is finally—thankfully—available for viewing and is once again written and directed by the dynamic John Krasinski, formerly the mild-mannered and loveable prankster from The Office. The first surprise from the original film remains true and therefore no longer surprising; Krasinski continues to be an exceptional filmmaker. Even his fine acting skills are on display again in a flashback sequence. It’s technical achievements like these that more than make up for a sequel that struggles to find something more to say.

We’re treated to a drastically different opening, however. In contrast to the first movie’s preamble which was shrouded in fear and silence, Part II begins on a lively note with a flashback full of smiles, laughter and a little league game, a scene whose real-world equivalent would be referred to as ‘pre-Covid.’ And, although the original prologue ends with a brief burst of action, Krasinski transforms this idyllic picture of the American Dream into a chaotic action sequence with the small-town citizens running for their lives from aliens that have just crash landed on Earth. We’ve already seen these creatures at work, so it’s okay that a gradual reveal is replaced by all out mayhem, a change of pace that’s appropriately jolting without being gratuitous.

Following this revealing glimpse into the past, we’re back in the present where the story picks up right where the first one left off. After realizing they need to, in fact, make loud noise to defeat the monsters—and, in the process, demonstrating how to resist autocrats—the Abbott family emerges from their basement, equipped with the tools needed to survive their brutal surroundings. They’re also carrying a substantial amount of grief as their father, Lee, sacrificed himself to save them just minutes ago. But, if you’re wary about Krasinski’s absence, know that you’re in good hands with the remaining cast in their quest to find other survivors and spread their newfound knowledge.

We all know Emily Blunt is spectacular and deserved Oscar consideration for playing the matriarch Evelyn in the first film. Surprise, she’s still fantastic, but it’s the children who take center stage this time around because, let’s face it, if you want to get a message out today, you need a younger generation. That generation is represented by Millicent Simmonds who reprises her role as Evelyn’s daughter Regan. Simmonds is nothing short of a revelation. Deaf in real life as well as in the franchise, the 18-year-old proves you don’t need to speak to emote like a master thespian or be as interesting and capable as any of the great horror film heroes from Sigourney Weaver to Jamie Lee Curtis.

The even younger Noah Jupe, as her brother Marcus, is also invaluable, though not at the level of Simmonds when it comes to the more nuanced aspects of their craft. He has no problem with raw emotion, however; there’s a scene in which he gets severely injured, crying out in pain, and it’s so believable and intense as to be almost unbearable to watch. Quite simply, your heart breaks for the poor boy.

The concept of these films is what attracts moviegoers, but it’s the empathy we feel, so easily instilled in us by the cast and crew, which holds our attention. Countless horror stories fail because we really don’t care if someone dies. In A Quiet Place, not only do the complex individuals elicit our sympathy but the family as whole does as well. Their tight bonds and collective struggle pull you into their reality, making you feel like you’re part of the family.

Krasinski’s direction and Polly Morgan’s cinematography pull us in too. Their camera movement and scene composition are proof enough that this horror film is on another level. The duo has a shrewd way of keeping the camera moving when it might’ve otherwise been stationary or lingering on items of interest at the perfect time, techniques that aren’t simply examples of interesting filmmaking but ones that amplify suspense. Sometimes you wish they’d apply more techniques like these instead of the cheaper jump scares which should’ve been scaled down from the first film instead of highlighted. That’s old news.

So, then, what’s new? Well, certainly the world is richer and more expansive. There’s a new major character played by the enigmatic Cillian Murphy who replaces Krasinski as both a father figure and someone whose big, bright eyes tell a story all on their own. There’s also more ground covered as the Abbotts depart the confines of their farmhouse and even encounter new groups of survivors, some more friendly than others. The expansion of the setting is a natural progression for the series and quite a welcome one.

It’s also natural for the Abbotts to want to share the means to defeat the enemy with other survivors and take back their world in the process. This journey does culminate in a logical conclusion but one that feels a bit like a retread of the original, leaving you wondering if more could’ve been said. Yet, it’s impossible to ignore the film’s marvelous execution and technical achievements. Forgive the cliché, but sometimes it’s not what you say but how you say it.