A Quiet Place: Day One
A Quiet Place: Day One
Starring Lupita Nyong'o, Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff, Djimon Hounsou
Directed by Michael Sarnoski
Samira (Lupita Nyong'o) is a cancer patient living in hospice outside New York City when their group takes a trip to the city to see a play - but all Sam wants is a piece of New York pizza. She brings her service cat Frodo with her, and after the play the city comes under attack by a slew of alien creatures that hunt using sound. Sam finds refuge with other survivors, but is bound and determined to have that pizza, so she sets out on her own (along with Frodo) to get it.
Along the way she meets fellow survivor Eric (Joseph Quinn), a British college student who's thousands of miles away from his loved ones, and he attaches himself to Sam. Together - with Frodo - they find a way to survive in the city by being completely silent, while making it to the water to escape with other survivors, as well as get a piece of New York pizza.
Director Michael Sarnoski is best known for giving Nicolas Cage one of the best performances in recent years with his very subdued, very emotionally driven film "Pig" that finds Cage's character going in search of his beloved pig that gets kidnapped. It could've easily been a "John Wick" ripoff sending Cage into his classic manic state, but instead it served as a deep dive into the human psyche and what it means to have something worth dying for. As Krasinski didn't return to direct this time around, he hand-picked Sarnoski to be his successor after seeing "Pig," and the result is clear on screen. While "Day One" could've been seen as a cheap cash grab filled with high-octane action and a blockbuster feel, it instead is a deep, thoughtful film about life, death, and what it means to be truly alive - as well as aliens.
The actors this time around had a lot to live up to, as audiences were used to the impeccable, spot-on performances by Krasinski, Blunt, Simmonds and the like, and fortunately Sarnoski chose two acclaimed actors who excel at their craft. Lupita Nyong'o is an Academy Award-winning actress who's expressions speak volumes, which is important in a film where you really can't speak. As Sam, she showcases her emotions through her eyes: she's dying, she knows it, and she's bitter about it. Yet there's a glimmer of hope, or something she wants to achieve, that shines in her eyes and pushes her forward, even if it's just to have one last piece of New York pizza. She balances the concepts of life and death as well as surviving an alien apocalypse like an expert trapeze artist, and once again will be underappreciated for her work (see "Us" for reference).
"Stranger Things" breakout star (and future Human Torch) Joseph Quinn equally shines as Eric, a man clearly on his last leg. He's in another country away from all his family and friends, he's alone, and he's beaten. He clings to Sam as a lifeline, and you can sense the sadness, trepidation and fear in his eyes. Though polar opposites, these two come together in highly emotional moments that cement their friendship almost immediately, and gives for some truly gut-punching performances (most notably when Eric reads a poem Sam wrote about dying, which alone brings a tear to your eye but their responses after he reads it is truly profound).
"A Quiet Place" is a unique horror franchise that never stays in just one place. The first film takes place in an isolated farmhouse. The second takes place in a quiet suburb, and this one takes place in the Big Apple. It never relies on its laurels but continues to take major chances and each time pulls it off perfectly. You never know what you're going to get with each film, and that's what makes it so great.
Likewise the choice of characters is unique in this franchise. The first film centers on Blunt's character who's pregnant and about to give birth - something that requires a lot of loud noise - as well as Simmond's character who's deaf and her struggle (as well as strength) to get through. The second film focuses more on Simmond's character and her quest to get important news to the general populous. This film focuses on Sam, a terminally ill woman who knows she doesn't have much time left. None of these characters are Rambo-style fighters, but rather people with issues that would seemingly make them easy fodder for the aliens, but through sheer will and determination, as well as intelligence and ingenuity, these women shine in the face of adversity.
The effects of the film are exciting and tense, once again leaving you breathless during every quick loud moment through the silence. You know something bad is going to happen, and you're left with bated breath as you wait for the anvil to drop. New York City itself serves as a unique backdrop, as it goes from loud and bustling to quiet and deserted, and in-between there's a shocking scene where you see literally hundreds of people trying to shuffle quietly to the docks, but you can hear the squeaking of suitcase wheels, handicap wheels and other normally mundane noises amped up like you're at a rock concert. The aliens are mostly in the background, but unlike the first two films there's literally hundreds of them at any given time, giving a more fearful atmosphere. It truly delivers in the tension, excitement and action, but doesn't resolve itself to be merely a blockbuster horror action, which is a great thing indeed.
The Score: A
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