A Quiet Place Part II is a 2021 horror thriller set directly after the events of the first film.
Movies that provide a truly unique cinematic experience are a great way to interact with the audience, especially the ones that can keep people quiet from start to finish. A Quiet Place was one of the most surprising titles back in 2018, and it was a brilliant directorial debut from John Krasinski. It was a very interesting concept for a horror thriller, while also being a compelling story about parenthood and survival. After a year of delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we finally have A Quiet Place Part II released in theaters, which is a direct sequel to the previous installment with Krasinski returning as both writer and director.
In case you have never seen A Quiet Place before, it’s set in a post-apocalyptic world where there are blind monsters that can kill you if you make sound. Taking place after the ending of the first movie, the Abbott family now has to face the outside world since their home has been completely destroyed. Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe are back as the lead protagonists, and Cillian Murphy joins the cast as a new character named Emmett. As they continue to fight for their survival against these menacing creatures, they soon find out there are other incoming threats that are coming after them.
The performances from the cast are all great, especially Simmonds and Murphy who are easily the best parts of the film. It’s so fascinating to see these characters communicate in Sign Language in order to protect themselves from these monsters. Whenever they’re in dangerous situations, you do feel that tension. Krasinski’s screenplay makes sure to show perspective among these people, which allows you to be connected with their lives. Blunt is unfortunately sidelined this time around, and she’s not really given a lot of material to work with. She’s fantastic when she’s on screen, but you wish they would have focused on her as well.
As a sequel, it does a great job bringing back the tone and atmosphere from the first installment. If you’re seeing this on the big screen, you’ll notice the audience staying silent plays an important role in the immersive nature of your viewing experience. It’s a very interesting world to explore, which would justify the reason for wanting to tell another story set in this universe. Even if Krasinski adds some new elements to the premise, it’s admittedly kind of a bummer that he doesn’t take some big risks during some scenes. At times, it does feel like the exact same from the first film, especially the finale which will probably divide the moviegoers.
A Quiet Place Part II is not as good as the previous movie, but it’s still a really enjoyable sequel that showcases Krasinski as a talented filmmaker. We’re undeniably getting a third chapter, so if they just focus on the storyline and character development, it can be a solid trilogy. It’s never easy for horror sequels to be as good as the first films, but the director has worked really hard to bring us another suspenseful flick that fans will be sure to enjoy.