A Quiet Place Part II

A Quiet Place Part II
Starring Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe, Cillian Murphy
Directed by John Krasinski

For films - especially horror films - a sequel is barely as good as its predecessor. The old adage "lightning rarely strikes twice" is true for cinema, with the sequel often being lackluster compared to the original. "A Quiet Place" was a surprise sleeper hit in 2018, a film that didn't garner a lot of excitement since it was directed and co-written by John Krasinski, who was then best known for playing the lovable goof Jim in "The Office." The concept of the film was intriguing and also possibly detrimental: a movie where aliens invade earth and can only find you if you make noise. This idea on paper doesn't seem to work because there's not a lot of dialogue or epic action sequences set against ear-shattering musical scores, but the result was nothing short of amazing: a compelling, thoughtful family drama surrounded by aliens where the audience sat in silence, afraid to even chew a kernel of popcorn due to the intensity of the film itself.

The idea of a sequel wasn't on Krasinski's mind, but after the surprise success and acclaim, he decided to go forward with another film, which was unfortunately pushed back due to the Coronavirus. Being one of the first films to be released solely in theaters after the pandemic, the second film had a lot to live up to: and it far more exceeded anyone's highest expectations, resulting in a sequel that's not just equal to the original, but in many ways even better.

In a flashback sequence, we witness what happens the first day aliens invade earth. It's a normal day for the Abbott family - father Lee (John Krasinski), wife Evelyn (Emily Blunt), and their children Regan (Millicent Simmonds), Marcus (Noah Jupe), and Beau (Dean Woodward). What starts off as a little league baseball game soon turns to terror when they spot a fire in the sky, and their town is attacked by aliens who kill without remorse.

In the present day, Evelyn, Regan, Marcus, and Evelyn's newborn infant decide to leave their homestead after it was destroyed and try to find other survivors, equipped with the weapon that they know will destroy the seemingly unstoppable aliens. While on the road they enter the domain of Emmett (Cillian Murphy), a former family friend who takes them in for the time being. While in the hidden bunker, Regan learns of a radio signal that she can use to transmit the weapon to anyone hearing it, and sets out to find its source, while Evelyn and Marcus remain behind to get supplies and Emmett goes to assist Regan.

"A Quiet Place Part II" might not have been in the plans when the original was written, but you'd never know it seeing how the film progressed. It takes place right after the conclusion of the first film, and with the exception of a well-done flashback, propels the story forward that literally begs for a third film to wrap it all up. Whereas the first film was focused primarily on the Abbott farm and only the Abbott family, the second - like most sequels - amps up the locations, characters, and action. While the film is louder than the first, it doesn't take away from the continual sense of dread that Krasinski masterfully induces from the first moment to the last, never letting up on the tension for a minute, and not letting a single minute of screentime go to waste.

The film's opening sequence is as intense as everything else that happens, even though it occurs during the most mundane activity - a little league game. Knowing what we know - and what the characters don't - we know that this will not be an ordinary day, and from the moment everyone stares in awestruck wonder at the ball of flame in the sky, we know things will never be the same. We witness the tension and fear as people run for their lives, not knowing what to do, and the Abbotts themselves having been separated seeing them struggling to find one another gives you heart palpitations, even though you know their outcome. It's also the loudest moments of the entire franchise, which is unnerving especially after watching the first film and how silent the entire thing was, to hear cars honking, people screaming, and guns firing. This only sets up for what's a roller coaster of an emotional thrill ride, with no low points or moments of brevity where you can just sit back and calm down - in a film like this, there's no room for that.

The second film focuses more on the children, Regan and Marcus, and how they've adjusted to not just this world, but living in it after their father's sacrifice (yes, that's a spoiler from the first film, but if you've never seen the first film why would you be reading a review on the second?).  These kids come into their own here, and far exceed expectations, especially Millicent Simmonds. As a real-life deaf girl, she uses her handicap as a weapon, fearlessly venturing on her own to save mankind, something that her father would've done. Gone is the fearful, timid girl, and through the fire she's emerged as a young Ripley, a woman who's fierce and determined, powerful and stubborn, who anyone would easily want on their side. Likewise, Noah Jupe comes into his own here, still facing his fears but also has to be the man of the house in a sense to care for the newborn when Evelyn goes on a supply run. You sense his apprehension and fear, but also his protective instincts that culminates in a chill-inducing, stand-up-and-cheer finale with the two siblings that serves as the crescendo of this cinematic masterpiece.

That's not to say the adults don't have an importance. Krasinski gives his few moments on screen all he has, expressing a true father's fear in the face of insurmountable odds, while Emily Blunt (his real-life wife) takes the mamma bear trope to new levels as she effortlessly dispatches aliens and fights tooth and nail to protect her family. Cillian Murphy is an excellent addition to the franchise as family-friend Emmett, a man who was plagued by the events of the invasion and who at first you're not sure whose side he's really on. Yet for this outing, all eyes are on the kids, and the kids are more than alright.

Marco Beltrami once again returns to his Golden Globe-nominated role as composer to score a thrill-inducing, tense score that never relents, and cinematographer Polly Morgan seamlessly flows from three different stories that converge in important ways. These aspects of the film serve to create the true tension for the viewer - seeing one thing that could cause harm to one of the family members is met with gasps of fear. A quiet moment where one misstep can lead to a bullhorn of sorts for the aliens makes you curl your toes in anticipation. There's countless moments where there's certain life or death moments for our characters, and if the first film taught us nothing else, it's that no one - not even newborns - are safe. It adds to the continual tension that is unrelenting, resulting in another chilling, powerful film from John Krasinski, who's quickly making a name for himself in modern horror cinema.

With more than a year's anticipation, "A Quiet Place Part II" had a lot to live up to, and far exceeded even the highest expectations, resulting in a sequel that's bigger, louder, and more tense than the original, filled with tour-de-force performances and a suitable, capable director at the helm.

The Score: A+