‘A Quiet Place Part II’ review: Dir. John Krasinski (2021)

Back in March last year we were all set to attend the press screening of A Quiet Place Part II, then a couple of days ahead of the event, it was canceled. Five days after that, the UK went into its first national lockdown and the film was pulled from release schedules. Now, fourteen or so months later, the film is finally set for a cinema release again, Paramount opting to retain the film for the big screen rather than release it into homes like many of their fellow studios did with their own high profile projects. The move may be viewed as a risk to some, but cinemas are in dire need of support now that they’ve once more opened their doors to the public. If there’s one type of film outside of the obvious action flick that has to be experienced on the big screen, it’s the horror film. There’s no better environment than a dark room in the company of faceless strangers to enjoy a scary film, and with A Quiet Place Part II arriving into selected cinemas on the biggest of screens, IMAX, there couldn’t be a better time to make a return to movie theatres. 

Set mere moments after the dramatic events of A Quiet Place, our sequel sees the Abbott family leave the broken sanctuary of their farm behind in the hopes of finding someplace better. Along the way they encounter an old family friend, Emmett (Cillian Murphy), and it soon becomes apparent that the monsters that fell from the sky are not the only ones to be afraid of. 

As the world expands, our story branches out, and the Abbot family splits apart as each attempts to do their part to keep everyone alive. Although the back and forth between characters gets a smidge tedious in a couple of places, the new narrative structure works well overall. By switching between each family member the audience is kept in a constant state of dread, Krasinski jumping the narrative from scene to scene just as things start to get perilous. Somehow he maintains the same elevation of anxiety for the duration meaning that the audience never has the opportunity to become bored, or more importantly, get a break from the onslaught of dangers. The trick also works at immersing the viewer fully into the world, instantly investing them back in the plight of the Abbott family, and ensuring that your heart begins to pound.   

A Quiet Place was a sensation upon release, the film beginning commended for its confidence to rely on near silence to tell an entire film. The sequel follows that same magic formula, but also raises the stakes by filling itself with plenty of action pieces. With the first film tied to the single location of the farm, the story was all about building up to the big finale. This time around, with several of the characters in constant motion, the audience is treated to a steady onslaught of deadly encounters. Kransinski hasn’t quite gone full Aliens in his shake up, but definitely pumps more action-packed suspense driven thrills than the first time around. These moments begin immediately with the film opening back on Day one of the invasion. Glimpses of this sequence are found within the trailers, but when watched together, the flashback alone is as strong as any of its action film rivals. Eagle eyed viewers will also spy a couple of little callbacks to the opening of the first movie, as both occur in the same locations. It’s simply a shot here and there, a slight lingering look at a toy rocket on the shelf being the biggest nod, but these little details not only enrich the reality of the world, they also enhance the viewing experience for those that are familiar with the first movie.

After this epic opening we are thrust straight out into the dangerous world and Krasinki has an arsenal of traps and scares up his sleeve to make even the most steely nerved viewer become unsettled. Every set-piece’s tension levels are cranked to one hundred as each has to take place in silence. Honestly, the anxiety induced by something as straight-forward as stepping one foot on another is incredible, and though Krasinski is still relatively new to the directing arena, he clearly has a very bright future. 

Back in 2018 some comparisons were made between A Quiet Place and video game The Last of Us, and those similarities won’t be fading anytime soon. Last time around the discussions were mainly around how aspects of the creature design were reminiscent of the games enemies, the Clickers, and whilst that look remains, A Quiet Place Part II also borrows from the game’s narrative. Regan and Emmett’s story strand, though entirely different, hits enough of the same beats as Joel and Ellie dynamic that, when combined with the desolate world setting and similarly dangerous monsters, may leave some feeling short-changed. 

The cast is once again excellent, Millicent Simmonds once more proving that she is a rising star to pay attention to. As Regan, she ventures out on her own this time around and we get much more time to see what Simmonds is capable of; it’s beautiful to behold this much talent in someone so young in years. Noah Jupe’s Marcus is also afforded some further development, though does cause some of the (silent) screaming at the screen from the viewer. Emily Blunt takes a step back this time so that her younger counterparts can have their moments to shine, but during her time on screen, she once again radiates fierce and primal maternal instinct and drive. This is one mother you do not want to mess with. Our core cast is rounded out by new addition Cillian Murphy who slots almost seamlessly into the setting and is as consistent as ever.  

After all this time, I’m happy to share that A Quiet Place Part II is definitely worth the wait. Paramount really has made the right decision holding off until cinemas opened again as this film is so deserving of being watched on the big screen. A sequel that builds upon the foundation previously laid, A Quiet Place Part II raises the stakes whilst still retaining its emotional core, and further asserts John Krasinksi as a director to watch.   

A Quiet Place Part II arrives in UK cinemas from 3rd June 2021.