REVIEW: A Quiet PlaceBy Bri ManzanoApril 9, 2018I have to give A Quiet Place a lot of points on principle alone. An original horror/thriller that uses creative storytelling techniques and draws a lot of its emotional power from subtle suggestion? How refreshing.

In the near future, the world has become overrun by creatures that attack at the slightest sound. One family collects all the information they can on the creatures and carefully navigates their newly silent world - and grief - hoping to one day regain some semblance of a normal life.

John Krasinski further establishes himself as more than just the loveable Jim; he grounds the film not only with his performance as the strong and dedicated father, but also with his performance as the strong and dedicated director. Emily Blunt is the main vehicle of suspense for the film, gripping the audience with a mother almost reminiscent of Jennifer Lawrence’s mother!. Noah Jupe and Millicent Simmonds have distinct personalities and demonstrate the complicated struggles of children maturing in the post-apocalyptic wastescape.

There is incredible creative potential for limiting the sound options in a film, and A Quiet Place does great work to break ground in this field. When one of the main vehicles for information is limited, new ways of communication are necessary. No more information is given than is necessary. “Show; don’t tell.” The movie can’t tell - it has to show. And show it does.

The best I can do is nitpick this film. There seems to be a dissonance between the amount of time the world has been a shambles and how developed their post-apocalyptic way of life is. There are some horror tropes utilized, though they make more sense in this story than any I’ve seen so far. The creature effects are a bit iffy when they’re prominent, but that’s not very often.

A Quiet Place is a great way to round off the first quarter of 2018 - thrills, tension, compelling performances, and subtle, creative storytelling.

Rating: 8.75/10

Favorite scene: Birth.
Least favorite scene: “I love you.”

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