A Quiet Place Part II (2021) Review

A Quiet Place Part II (2021) Review

Dir. John Krasinski  

The first great movie of 2021 is here 

Welcome back to the cinema. One of the films that was so cruelly close to release pre-virus, A Quiet Place 2 has carried over into this 2021 movie season, and kicked things off with a big loud bang. 

Following on from the 2018 Horror sleeper hit, Part II focuses on the continuing adventures of the Abbott family as they are now on the move and looking for new shelter from the echo-sensitive monsters. 

Sometimes, when a film is delayed as long as this, you lose your hype, and the final product doesn’t always seem worth the wait. In this case, I actually think the film works better in a post-COVID world. The incredible prologue of the film finally lets us see the apocalyptic event from the ground level, with some of the best camera work in the whole film. This sequence in particular feels far more morbidly relevant in 2021, and reminds us of that sense of confusion and panic. 

The film's dependence on the medium of sound is really quite unique. You feel every gunshot equally resonant as you feel every footstep or snapping twig. If there’s a shoe-in for best sound editing of 2021, this is miles ahead so far. Being back in a cinema was a great experience itself, but to do so in such unique circumstances, where at times the entire theatre was silent and breathless with chair-gripping intent, was even better.

The sound is just one of many ways this sequel masters in tension building. Krasinski is as skilled a director as he is a humble leading man. While he takes a backseat acting wise in this one, I think his skill as a filmmaker shines more for it. Parallel editing is more prevalent here as the film splits into separate story strands, which only heightens the tense and frantic action scenes all the more. 

Emily Blunt turns in a strong leading role, with the same levels of fear, protectiveness and relative badassery that she did in the first chapter. 

New on the scene is Cillian Murphy, joining the cast and feeling right at home. Murphy continues to prove his strength and for me he proves his ability as a leading man, a role which Hollywood mistakenly overlooks him for up to now. The real standouts here though are the young actors; Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe. They are the centrepieces of these films, and were watching them grow and change in this scary new World. 

A Quiet Place Part II has a perfect blend of horror, thriller, action and story. It’s narrative almost flawlessly fitting the three act structure, and with a brisk run time that leaves you satisfied but hungry for more. 

Ingenious at times, nail bitingly intense at others, for me this sequel matches and outdoes its predecessor in many ways. 

If you’re looking for a reason to go back to the cinema, this is it. There’s an experience here that cannot be replicated at home.

9/10

Review by Elliott Thomas Griffiths