A Quiet Place Part II was supposed to open last March, but the sequel to the mostly silent 2018 hit was the first major blockbuster shelved because of the pandemic. Now, here we are over a year later, and the wait was well worth it, with a follow up that is superior to it’s popular predecessor.
John Krasinski is back in the director’s chair working with his wife Emily Blunt who returns Evelyn Abbot, who continues trying to keep her three children safe in the midst of an alien invasion consisting of creatures that hunt humans on the sounds we make. When the Abbots have to push away from their farm, they meet allies and enemies in their fight to survive.
Krasinski delivers another sharp film that brings you scares on multiple fronts, and some real suspense that we don’t get very often anymore these days. These tense moments are earned the right way. We’re also getting kind of a prequel, as you might have noticed from the trailer and even that works well. And while Blunt is at her usual high level, it’s Millicent Simmonds once again playing her deaf daughter that’s the film’s most valuable piece. This is an excellent movie.
You can try to pick apart this story, but there aren’t many weaknesses. Yeah, the monsters might act one way in one scene and then go completely dumb in the next, and we a post apocalyptic cliche or two here, but the film has earned some slack.
And at an hour and 37 minutes, just like it’s predecessor, it’s all meat and it’s over before your pulse has a chance to slow down.
If you enjoyed the first one. You’ll love the second outing even more.
A Quiet Place Part II
GRADE: A-
Rated: PG-13
Running time: 1 hour 37 minutes.