Movie Review: “A Quiet Place Part II” Is a Scream of a Sequel

This review has been 14 months in the making.

A Quiet Place Part II has been a long time coming. Like many blockbusters including Tenet and Mulan, the film’s initial release date was delayed due to—you guessed it—the coronavirus pandemic. While it was originally set to begin its international rollout on 18 March 2020, its release was pushed back until September later that year.

Except, the delays did not stop there. The highly anticipated sequel to John Krasinski’s 2018 A Quiet Place suffered two more postponements, before a May 2021 release was eventually confirmed for the movie.

We won’t continue to bore you with contextual details, however, ‘cos we know what you really want to know is: was it worth the wait?

Well, you will be glad to know that it most certainly was. Not only does the sequel expand upon the universe of A Quiet Place, but it builds a genuine sense of suspense and panic.

After the film’s nerve-racking opening scene gives us insight into how a bunch of monsters with hypersensitive hearing invaded Earth, A Quiet Place Part II picks up where the original flick ended. The Abbotts are still grieving the loss of Lee (Krasinski), who left behind his wife Evelyn (Emily Blunt), his son Marcus—portrayed by a scene-stealing Noah Jupe—and hearing-impaired daughter Regan (Millicent Simmonds), along with their new baby. If you were wondering how the Abbotts were going to keep the bebe safe, they've popped it in a case with an oxygen mask to stop it from crying. (As you can probably imagine, having a screaming newborn is a bit of a liability in a world where monsters attack at the smallest sound.)

It’s not long before the family runs into their old mate and neighbour Emmett (Cillian Murphy). Only problem: he is dealing with the loss of his own family, and pretty keen on riding solo. So, when Regan ventures out to see if there is another community of humans nearby, Evelyn must beg Emmett to find her while she stays behind with Marcus and the baby.

From the get-go, it is obvious that A Quiet Place Part II possesses the same anxiety-inducing tension as its predecessor. Krasinski cements his talent for creating terrifying life-or-death situations, proving his masterful work on A Quiet Place was no fluke. Whether it's Evelyn’s quivering foot preparing to step on a crunchy leaf or a monster silently lurking in the background, he establishes a feeling of constant trepidation.

Krasinski’s writing is elevated by brilliantly fearful performances by Jupe, Simmonds and Blunt. Simmonds—who gets a large portion of the screen time—is assertive and confident as the resilient Regan, whose deafness proves to be an advantage. While Marcus’ panic-stricken nature could have easily felt excessively dramatic, Jupe’s portrayal is highly believable. Blunt’s Evelyn is understandably in survival mode and focused on protecting her family at all costs, and the actress expertly balances the character’s desperation and determination. Considering Blunt muttering a short word like “run” is enough to give you goosebumps, it's a shame she doesn't have as much to do this time around.

Just like A Quiet Place, dialogue is kept to a minimum in this follow-up, and the lack of sound only helps emphasise the consistent chaos throughout the movie. Krasinski's 2018 film was deservedly nominated for Best Sound Editing at the 2019 Academy Awards (it lost to Bohemian Rhapsody), and I will be surprised if A Quiet Place Part II does not snag a nom as well.

In the flick’s final moments, it's difficult not to want at least a few pressing questions answered. How many other survivors are out there? Why didn’t the Abbotts choose to live near a waterfall? Is the baby really getting the nutrients it needs in a post-apocalyptic world? In the end, the question marks hovering above those queries can be easily ignored when the film is such spine-chilling fun. Thank goodness we get to experience it in cinemas.

4/5

A Quiet Place Part II is now in Australian cinemas. It is rated M for horror themes and violence.

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