A Quiet Place Part II
PARAMOUNTThe opening scene of John Krasinski’s A Quiet Place Part II, the sequel to the beloved horror hit from 2018, is eerily similar to the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. Although the real world was not decimated by aliens with super hearing that crash-land on Earth, the panicked reactions of the characters in the film are the same as those living through this pandemic. However, the film does not hammer home this comparison, opting instead for a soft message about the need to selflessly help fellow human beings instead of leaving them out to dry. This is communicated most effectively by the cast's impressive performances, particularly Millicent Simmonds and newcomer to the franchise, Cillian Murphy. Simmonds is excellent in the first film and is even better here, and Murphy’s grizzled Emmett is a worthy replacement for the stricken-off Krasinski.
There is hope that Krasinski delves further into directing after this, only his second directorial effort. The actor-turned-director has a firm grip on the mechanics of a horror film, and both A Quiet Place movies practically blow every other modern mainstream horror out of the water. The editing manages to weave together two separate scenes in such a seamless fashion that the tension in both is ramped up. No shot is phoned in, no edit piecemealed together. The film moves with determination and precision, not wasting a moment, and it all culminates in a third-act finale of virtuosic proportions that will take newly unmasked audiences’ collective breath away.
Another newcomer to the franchise, Polly Morgan, takes over cinematographic duties for this film, and while perhaps not a marked improvement over the excellently shot first film, her most notable contribution shines brightly. The film’s first scene, a flashback, is nothing short of gripping, even though audiences know precisely how it will all play out. The entire film, in fact, is shot in the grainy format, but it is the first scene that makes the most of camera movement. That is thanks in no small part to Morgan’s darting, gliding camera, which captures the chaos that reigns supreme over the Abbotts’ small town in exquisite 35 mm.
Marco Beltrami returns to compose the score, but he mostly reuses the already-great themes he established in the first film. He does not add much in that department, and in other sound-related ways, this film also does not live up to the first. Despite its straightforward plot and focus on four characters, one of the main ingredients to the first film’s success is the innovative sound design. The sequel does not quite pull off the same trick. This film is louder and noisier, and it is not hard to forget that this is a world where making the slightest sound could result in death. There are still plenty of horror scenes where the protagonists must try to make as little noise as possible, but nothing as intense as the first film’s childbirth scene with Emily Blunt. In most scenes where the monsters appear, the characters have already made noise, and it is far too late for them to remain silent. These scenes are much closer to a typical horror film than the first one, but they are excellently crafted.
However, in keeping with the tradition of the first film, the scope, while slightly expanded, is still tiny. There are more characters than in the first, but not by a lot. There are still only four protagonists. New locations and bit characters give the world more texture, but the performances of Simmonds, Murphy, Blunt, and Noah Jupe keep it grounded. As mentioned above, the former two are the most interesting pair, but Blunt and Jupe still give great performances. One hopes they have more to do in the sequel. Yes, that is right, there is going to be a third film to complete the trilogy. Usually, when one, let alone two, unnecessary sequels are announced to a surprise hit, it is cause to let out an exasperated sigh. Here goes Hollywood again, ruining a beautiful thing. However, that is not the case here. The skill and craft that went into making this sequel makes the third entry an exciting opportunity instead of a shameless cash grab. Here is to hoping Krasinski can pull off a hat trick and capture lightning in a bottle for a third time.
