Reviewing "A Quiet Place": A tense, well-directed horror film

A Quiet Place is a horror film directed and written by John Krasinski, co-written by Bryan Woods and Scott Beck. The film centers on the Abbott family living a (literally) quiet life while trying to avoid attracting the attention of alien monsters that hunt by sound. John Krasinski plays Lee, the strict but well-meaning father of the family; Emily Blunt plays Evelyn, the supportive mother of the family who keeps the family moving forward in trying times; Millicent Simmonds plays Regan, the deaf eldest child and only daughter in the family whose loss of hearing is integral to the film while also allowing the family to survive by virtue of already being accustomed to using sign language to communicate; and Noah Jupe plays Marcus, Regan's more timid younger brother.

The film is very simple, showing the daily routine of the family as tension slowly mounts all while they go about their errands, trying to be careful not to make too much noise so they can avoid being detected by the creatures. Every time a character does something, you hold your breath, not knowing if a minor everyday action can spell doom for the character. Then there is a loud noise, and all the tension erupts into frantic chase sequences and again you hold your breath as the characters attempt to evade the monsters. It's simple, but the central idea is executed so well across the entire film in many iterations that it is simply enthralling. Also, the character interactions are the focus, with the monsters providing the moments of terror but never taking away from the human characters and their interactions that anchor the film and allow the audience to get invested in their struggle for survival against the monsters.

Krasinski's direction of this film is impeccable. Every scene, even ones that seem completely innocuous and seem to be for character-building purposes, is dripping with either tension or melancholy, or where one leads to the other. While there are some glimpses of heartwarming family dynamics early on in the film, once all the setup for the family's routine is done, the character conflicts as well as the conflicts with the monsters quickly kick into high gear, and every scene just feels right, with the right amount of activity to further the plot and characters or to give some scares. Everything feels tightly-paced, never running the risk of going on too long.

The performances are also riveting, with the premise of not making loud noises allowing the actors to emote and perform mainly with facial dialogue and body language, which is most definitely an exciting prospect for an actor, getting to show their range without words.  Krasinski proves himself to be a capable horror lead after being best known for comedic roles, imbuing his character Lee with depth, showing great regret and anxiety, often without saying a word. Emily Blunt also shows her acting range as the determined and resourceful Evelyn, driven to protect her children no matter what despite clearly being terrified, getting all that across with few words. Noah Jupe and Millicent Simmonds, especially Simmonds, shine as the young children, again relying chiefly on facial expressions (doubly so for Regan) to convey emotions such as terror and grief. The film's climax also focuses more on Simmonds' character and shows that, despite the character's disability, she proves instrumental in getting the family out of danger. For a central character to be deaf, and played by a deaf actress to boot, is surely a big step in representing deaf characters in a positive, affirming way.

All in all, this is an excellent horror film with an original premise, good character work, fantastic performances, and great scares and moments of tension. Krasinski and the cast and crew have made a true horror gem, and I cannot wait to see what they do next.

Score: 10/10