A Quiet Place 2

Review: written June 2021

Nailbitingly good

Emily Blunt returns to this sequel to 2018’s successful horror-thriller ‘A Quiet Place’. Once again directed by John Krasinksi, who appears onscreen at the start of the movie in a flashback scene where citizens of Earth meet the sight challenged (but sound sensitive) monsters for the first time. Before long though we pick up events from exactly where the previous movie stopped, as the family pick up the pieces and decide they need to venture further afield in search of other survivors. That preamble though, sets the tone for what weill follow – as the creeping-around-to survive elements are matched with an action movie vibe to some of the set pieces. First of all, it’s worth saying how great it was to go to the cinema again, to see an honest to goodness edge of the seat movie, and this was just the ticket to mark that return, as it successfully had the entire auditorium holding their breath and not daring to crunch a piece of popcorn. The nerve jangling tone from the first movie continues, but the world opens up beyond the single homestead, as the family go on the move outside their comfort zone, finding Cillian Murphy along the way. There are some terrific set pieces, and Murphy adds some wonderful ambiguity to his role as we try and decide if he is going to help or not, and learn his backstory. Djimon Hinsou also makes an appearance, though without making nearly the same impact.

Overall the opening up of the story does mean that some of the focus and intimacy of the first movie is lost, and not all the threads seem necessary (other than perhaps for part 3..?), but this hardly matters because the set pieces do not disappoint, building tension and a feeling of inescapable menace, with more action and less time spent on character building than part 1. If the ending seems abrupt when it comes, it still works, and Krasinski clearly has a strong hold on the narrative even when it threatens to splinter at times.

Not better maybe, but more of the same is good enough when it’s done this well.