Writer/Director: Michael Sarnoski
Starring: Lupita Nyong’o, Joseph Quinn and Alex Wolff
‘Powerful Prequel’
Few franchises about trauma quiet families face are as beloved as “A Quiet Place”. Found in 2018, John Krasinski’s profound horror movie depicted families living without sound. A jaw-dropping achievement, it portrayed families escaping jaws by being silent. It holds a special place in hearts of movie-goers by depicting trauma families face. On a personal level, I find the franchise relatable. I recall a bombing in Saudi Arabia that caused trauma. During childhood, bombs struck my neighborhood. Arrival of terrorists caused dreams to crumble. I was woken up at midnight to face disaster. To avoid terrorists that were violent, parents told me to stay silent. Putting lips to fingers, my father forbade me from making noise. As I witnessed a shocking sight, I was told to keep my lips sealed tight. Afraid of making a sound, I saw my house burn to the ground. Chances of survival seemed low. Like the Abbott family’s silence, my family faced violence. In a miracle, family achieved survival. Heroic parents saved me from terrorists that were psychotic. I felt relieved family survived disaster. Without doubt, I was grateful family managed to get out. However, it impacted me. I became sensitive to noise. In the wake of terrorism, I spent many nights awake. Facing nightmares, bombs rung in ears for years. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t cast away genocide. To cope with trauma, I turned towards Cinema. Entertainment allowed me to cope with the incident. Years later, I treasure films reminding me of disaster.
Now, Michael Sarnoski commemorates the franchise demonstrating families seeking quiet place in “A Quiet Place: Day One”. Nerve-wracking, action-packed and suspenseful, it celebrates franchise about silent survival. Sarnoski celebrates franchise about families experiencing quiet catastrophe. Boasting immersive sound-design, soul-stirring storytelling and phenomenal performances, it’s a quietly powerful prequel. Although “A Quiet Place: Day One” is unforgettable, it isn’t flawless. It’s unevenly paced, lacking compelling character development. Nevertheless, it offers captivating entertainment pleasing fans of the quiet franchise.
Before events of “A Quiet Place”, “A Quiet Place: Day One’ follows a woman given frightening alien invasions to face. Lupita Nyong’o embodies Sam, a terminally ill woman seeking to cherish her final days on Earth. However, Sam’s happiness is threatened by alien invasions leaving her speechless. Alongside fellow survivor Eric (Joseph Quinn), Sam strives surviving a tragic world where sounds are catastrophic. Seeking a quiet place, Sam discovers sounds are tough to face.
Michael Sarnoski is a newcomer to horror. A phenomenal filmmaker, Sarnoski hasn’t made horror movies that instill terror. His debut “Pig” examined excruciating hardships washed-up chefs in culinary industries go through. It’s the filmmaker’s attempt creating sequels to horror movies in which sounds are frightening, but he succeeds. Evoking “A Quiet Place”, Sarnoski uses handheld camera to capture a quiet place. Handheld cinematography elevates the scene where Sam first witnesses life-threatening aliens attacking her city. It sparked harrowing memories of my family’s struggle to silently survive bombing catastrophes. Handheld cinematography is complicated. As Paul Greengrass’ “Captain Phillips” suggested, handheld cinematography elevates hostage thrillers. Denis Villeneuve’s “Arrival” demonstrated shaky cinematography elevates literary adaptations. Nevertheless, it succeeds. Alongside cinematographer Pat Scola, Sarnoski demonstrates world without sound. Sarnoski commemorates anxiety-inducing tension of silence, constructing theatrical viewing.
If silent disasters don’t attract you to theaters, however, there’s reasons to see “A Quiet Place: Part One”. Alongside sound designer Lee Salevan, Sarnoski uses sounds capturing disaster. Whether its floorboards creaking or civilians screaming, Sarnoski creates sounds that are terrifying. For instance, diegetic sounds elevate the alien scene. During this scary scene, Sam witnesses alien invasions proving terrifying. One admires sound-design capturing silence recalling John Krasinski’s “A Quiet Place: Part Two”. It reminded me of my family’s struggle staying silent in bombing incident. Diegetic sounds are complicated. As Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho” suggested, sounds elevated Hitchcock movies. Jonathan Demme’s “Silence of the Lambs” proved sounds enhance serial killer movies. Nevertheless, it succeeds. Moreover, music is magnificent. Celebrating Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws”, it creates jaw-dropping tension. Through awe-inspiring production, Sarnoski captures destruction.
Another extraordinary aspect of “A Quiet Place: Day One” is storytelling. Sarnoski’s screenwriting strength is demonstrating relationships between survivors of violence through silence. Throughout the “Quiet Place” franchise, movies rarely address relationships. As case in point: “A Quiet Place: Part Two” depicted mothers having little time bonding with children they constantly rescue. Thankfully, though, “A Quiet Place Day One” avoids pitfalls. Evoking Steve McQueen’s “12 Years a Slave”, Sarnoski employs silence capturing relationships between individuals experiencing violence. Like Solomon Northup’s bond with Patsy amidst painful slavery, Sam bonds with a survivor experiencing catastrophe. Silence elevates the scene where Sam and Eric bond together eating pizza after witnessing gruesome incidence of alien violence. It reminded me of my powerful relationship with parents that protected me from life-threatening bombing whose bravery I appreciated. Minimal dialogue is complicated. Robert Zemeckis’ “Cast Away” suggested minimal dialogue elevates heartbreaking survival dramas. As Jordan Peele’s “Get Out” claimed, silence elevates satires about racism. Nevertheless, it succeeds. Through a spectacular screenplay, Sarnoski commemorates silence.
One admires phenomenal performances.
Lupita Nyong’o delivers a career-defining performance as Sam. Nyong’o achieved appreciation playing heroic slaves seeking to escape incarceration. It’s challenging embodying a woman experiencing silence, but Nyong’o succeeds. Evoking Janet Leigh in Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho”, Nyong’o embodies a strong woman seeking to silently survive a tense scenario. Despite lack of substantial dialogue, Nyong’o conveys emotion through expressions. With mesmerizing expressions, she embodies fear, desperation and resilience of a woman surviving in silence. It’s a phenomenal performance.
The supporting cast is spectacular, building silent bonds. Joseph Quinn is fantastic, capturing the brave acknowledgements of a survivor questioning whether he has enough courage to survive catastrophe that’s rough. Djimon Hounsou is dazzling, capturing a brave survivor seeking people to rescue. Lastly, Alex Wolff deserves acknowledgements. As Sam’s caregiver, he’s unforgettable.
Despite strong performances, however, “A Quiet Place: Day One” can’t commemorate a quiet franchise about silent families surviving alien destruction. Sarnoski’s decisions integrating subplots about institutions into the movie is bold but hinders pacing. Therefore, scenes capturing Sam’s hospital interactions aren’t as engaging as journeys to overcome alien destruction. As Ari Aster’s “Hereditary” suggested, mental health subplots elevate supernatural horror movies. Moreover, the film lacks character development. Unlike previous films demonstrating powerful family dynamic, the prequel lacks characters that are sympathetic. For instance, we’re barely given reasons to care about Sam beyond the fact she’s an ill patient whose death is near. As Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining” demonstrated, greatest horror movies are driven by characters with shining backstories. Consequently, “A Quiet Place: Part One” falls short of silently superior predecessors.
Nevertheless, fans of the series would recognize “A Quiet Place: Part One” and so will audiences giving acknowledgement to silence. A quietly powerful prequel, it celebrates a beloved franchise about families seeking a quiet place. An extraordinary piece of entertainment about painful struggle experienced by individuals seeking acknowledgment in world that’s silent, it could lead individuals that are haunted by trauma to overcome institutionalizations that are violent.
A powerful tribute towards a renowned franchise about people surviving in a world without sound, it’s a rousing reminder of movies that earned a round of applause for capturing families facing trauma that’s profound.
Like sharp jaws of sharks that have a dangerous bite, it’s a jaw-dropping reminder of a franchise that gained spotlight by depicting families keeping lips sealed tight to escape scary monsters hidden in plain sight.
If movies could give people greater guidance about how to cope with a traumatic experience, hopefully watching a world of silence inspires individuals to move on from a past incidence of violence.
As strong as Sam’s desire to find a quiet place, it has motivated me to move on several years after my family was forced to face painful bombings celebrating a powerful franchise holding a special place in my heart which I will forever embrace.
4/5 stars
The Film Buff 