A Quiet Place


Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐


Bechdal Test: Pass


Summary:



In the near future in a post-apocalyptic world monsters hunt humans. They are blind, relying solely on sound to find their prey. Therefore, to survive, people must live in silence. The film follows the lives of a family trying to survive in this terrifying world.



Review:



I was very excited to see this film and booked tickets as early as possible. I am a huge fan of John Krasinski and Emily Blunt, who play the two leads, and was particularly interested to see how John Krasinki would do as a director. I am pleased to say I thought the film was a triumph.



Firstly, the performances were excellent all round but a special mention has to go to Emily Blunt. Her performance is incredible, she is able to convey so many emotions using only her eyes this makes for a deeply moving and completely captivating performance. Millicent Simmonds is also outstanding, I hadn't seen her on screen before and her ability to portray internal struggles and emotions through the use of facial expressions is impressive, particularly from such a young actor.



With such an interesting premise I was concerned that the film would lose focus and intrigue in the third act but I am very pleased to say that it held together very well. If anything the third act was the strongest. At 90 minutes this is one of the shortest films I have seen in a long time and this meant that that the film never felt baggy. The tension grew continuously throughout the film meaning that the audience is rarely given a moment to relax, a clever technique which results in greater empathy for the characters and their inability to relax in this hostile world.



The film explores interesting themes such as guilt, responsibility, love and the challenges of being a parent. Throughout the film I believed in the struggles these characters were facing. Once the film was over for the next couple of days I found my pondering on how I would have acted in similar situations, something which I find is often the mark of a good film. I am always pleased with a film that leaves you with questions which challenge your beliefs and ideas.



I only have one major issue with the film, which is that the plot was somewhat simplistic. It is an excellent story however I would personally have enjoyed a few more twists and turns. I assumed I knew where the plot was going and, on the whole, I was correct. This is not to say the film was dull and there was a great deal to enjoy but nonetheless the plot was quite straight forward.



Overall I greatly enjoyed this film. It is so refreshing to see an intelligent horror film that can hold its own without skimping on the jumps and gore. I would recommend this to anyone, both those who are fans of the genre and those who are not.





Recommend to a friend? Yes


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