A Quiet Place

' LE SILENCE QUI TUE '

U.S.A, 2018. John Krasinski. 90 min.

Monsters, horror and thriller fans of the genre can rejoice as A Quiet Place raises the bar and puts recent attempts of creating a movie monster to shame. It is not a perfect film, yet it successfully redefines the codes of a genre that has often been underestimated for far too long. In movies where quick jump-scares dominate the genre, A Quiet Place refreshingly tells the story of a family of five living in an unforgiving, post apocalyptic world in which nasty creatures that are highly sensitive to sound will shred you to pieces if you don’t keep quiet. 

Simple plot, you'd think, but unlike other directors who came up with great concepts and didn't manage the landing, first feature director John Krasinsky keeps it tight until the credit roll. As a result, he cleverly crafted a merciless monster movie that will keep your senses on the edge.

The film doesn't waste time in giving us context about how the world as we know it, ended; we are brutally propelled in the Abbott's family silent reality from the start. Evelyn (Emily Blunt) and Lee (John Krasinsky) are parents of three children, two young boys and girl on the verge of adolescence who are scavenging desolated areas in search of valuable items. They walk barefoot on trails of sand and communicate with sign language. Even though they seemed to have adjusted their lifestyle, sound remain a constant and omnipresent threat which operate as a tension mounting device throughout the movie.

One of the first thing that hits you from the start of this 90 minutes thrill ride is the silence that reigns in the theatre. Not only does this allow ambient sounds that we don't generally pay attention to in films to be heard, it also gives the spectator a completely refreshing cinematic experience. The use of sign language greatly participates to the credibility of the concept whilst simultaneously suggesting the human need for communication between one another. 

Krasinsky obviously did his homework and used sound as a weapon against us in order to create suspense. I've found myself exhausted after watching the film because we usually take for granted things as elementary as sound or light; put anyone in a pitch black environment with creepy sounds and you'll have them loosing it in a corner. A very primal fear, yet so very effective. A Quiet Place does that to your senses, it generates anxiety in the mind of spectators and sends them in a completely uncharted territory. The film has been stripped off of all its noises to create a highly controlled environment that threatens to collapse at any moment. If only more directors acknowledged the deceptive and threatening potential of sound, it would take films, particularly those belonging to the horror/thriller genre, to another level. The movie reminded me of the excellent French classic A Man Escaped (1956, Robert Bresson) in which a man is imprisoned and relies on his hearing to identify what is going on beyond his cell. If you are interested in sound theory (or not) I thoroughly recommend this movie

Alongside its extraordinary use of sound, the film is also supported by an incredibly strong cast. Emily Blunt has never been so magnificent as she portrays a pregnant mother who will stop at nothing to protect her children; Krasinsky is also a revelation in the role of a father gnawed by grief whereas the children (Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe), who are facing the brutality of the world they live in, are forced to take responsibilities that lie far beyond their age. The chemistry between the members of the Abbott family is credible, thanks to the director who takes the time to build the bond between them.   

I would have loved the concept to be taken even further, but that's just me being greedy. I found myself wanting more as the credit rolled, which is why I highly recommend this film. You don't need to be a fan of the genre; I wouldn't classify it as a horror film like a few critics have labelled it. A Quiet Place is rather a hybrid film that borrows from the greatest of each genre; some will notice a couple of references from crowd pleasing blockbusters like Aliens and Jurassic Park.

You can tell that A Quiet Place is a film made by a cinephile who understands the fundamental mechanics of films, sound being one of them. Adding blood thirsty monsters to the equation was another strike of genius that elevates this film as a complete masterpiece.

The film has been released on Friday 6th of April 2018, best watched in a crowded cinema!