Who would’ve known that John Krasinski’s announcement to the world that he could do more than smirk at a camera and yearn for his co-worker would give rise to one of the hottest horror franchises of this century? 2018’s A Quiet Place is an exhilarating creature feature, a compelling family drama, and a star vehicle for both Krasinski and his equally excellent co-star (and wife) Emily Blunt. It did well enough at the box office to warrant a sequel, with Krasinski returning to the director’s chair. A Quiet Place Part II ended up being one of the first box office smashes in a post-COVID world and did a great job of expanding the lore of this alien-ridden, apocalyptic universe.
Now, that’s all great, but you wouldn’t be blamed if you rolled your eyes when you heard they were making a prequel to the first two films, without any of the characters we’ve come to root for. And worst of all… it has a colon in its title! Well, I’m here to tell you that you can put your eyeballs back straight because A Quiet Place: Day One justifies its existence as a touching character-driven action film. It opens up the scope of the universe, seeing the hearing-gifted aliens take on New York City. This time, we don’t have Krasinski and Co’s experience and techniques to evade the monsters. It’s day one, after all, and the world is just getting acquainted with these deadly extraterrestrials. Led by brilliant performances all around with a simple but effective story, A Quiet Place: Day One may not be the most horrifying alien film, but it stands apart from its predecessors while staying true to why so many people love this franchise.
What Is ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ About?
The movie follows Sam (Lupita Nyong’o), a sardonic and weary poet who has terminal cancer. She spends her days writing simple poems about how shit life is and reading them to her support group in her hospice. Her only two friends are Reueben (Alex Wolff), a devoted and supportive nurse, and her cat, Frodo. The group is brought to Manhattan for a puppet show, and Sam is promised they can go for pizza afterward. As they hastily reboard the bus halfway through the show amidst reports of an incident in the city, our hearing-advanced friends make themselves known. From here, it’s non-stop chaos as the aliens attack one of the busiest cities in the entire world – with all the noise to go with it.
The story isn’t so much about survival but making the most of the precious time you have left. Sam is hellbent on making it to Harlem to go to the pizza restaurant that holds a lot of meaning to her from her childhood. Along the way, she meets Eric (Joseph Quinn), a law student who feels utterly alone in New York City as his family is back in England. With no purpose and no one to turn to, he latches on to Sam (and Frodo) and helps her on her quest to find her way back home before it’s too late. Along the way, they have to contend with vicious aliens, a roaming cat, Sam’s illness, and more vicious aliens.
‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ Is More About Character Than Action
You might think that, on the surface, A Quiet Place: Day One is simply retreading old ground, but it sets out to do something different than the first two movies. 2018’s A Quiet Place was, yes, a horror creature feature, but it was mostly a family drama. It touches on responsibility, guilt (especially survivors), and sacrifice. Evelyn and Lee made the decision to bring children into the world and so they must risk their lives every second of every day to keep their kids safe. The second film opened up the family’s strife to the entire world, as people come together to try and maybe save it. Day One is simply one woman’s story of trying to find her way back to one of her favorite places before it’s too late. Right from the outset, it’s clear Sam has lost all interest in living, her mind succumbing to her illness before her body. Before the alien invasion, she didn’t appreciate anyone or anything around her. That all changes the second the aliens hit the ground. It’s a refreshing twist on the survival film and allows Sam to become much more interesting than any monster. Rather than fighting to protect one’s family or kids, Sam is fighting for herself and for her right to live out her last few days on Earth the way she wants.
While Nyongo’s Sam is a wonderful protagonist, the film really picks up at the introduction of Quinn’s Eric. This is mostly because there’s a fresh twist in their dynamics. Sam is the calm, collected, and wise hero who knows exactly what to do at every second. Eric can barely kick down a door and needs constant reassurance from Sam that they’re going to be okay. A Quiet Place: Day One becomes more of a character study than an out-and-out alien movie, and because the characters are so enthralling (as well as played to perfection), you don’t really mind that the trailers had you think this was “Alien takes Manhattan” when it’s actually more a complex human drama.
In terms of actual scares and tension, Day One comes last in the franchise. Perhaps the first movie had the advantage of playing around with a new idea, but the whole “don’t make a sound” trope has become a little tired. While there’s a palpable sense of urgency from the performances (especially Quinn who is looking more terrified than any man ever has in a movie), the devastating horror of seeing little Beau Abbott get absolutely demolished is just not here. An exciting prospect of A Quiet Place being brought to the bright lights of the Big Apple was to see the alien attacks on a much bigger scale. But the movie doesn’t make the most of its setting. When New York has been destroyed by Godzilla, frozen over in The Day After Tomorrow, and had her head chopped off in Cloverfield, the bar for monsters invading NYC is skyscraper high. Day One could be set in any major U.S. city and it would probably look the same. It’s still an entertaining good time but other monsters (and weather) have done it better.
Joseph Quinn and Lupita Nyong’o Give Excellent Performances in ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’
Without a shadow of a doubt, the film’s greatest asset is its cast. Lupita Nyong’o manages to never get lost in the chaos around her, always reminding the audience that this is Sam’s story — not the world, not the aliens, but hers. She’s able to mix her hardened weariness with a genuine zest for what life has left for her, making her quest to fulfill her one last dream as tense as the end of the world. Joseph Quinn stole the internet’s heart two years ago and that tender vulnerability that made Eddie Munson an overnight sensation is on full display here. It’s rare to see the male lead in an action film display so much fear and sensitivity. Through Eric, we see an honest portrait of how fragile the human spirit is and how much we need connection in times of unimaginable horror. Together, Nyong’o and Quinn are the match made in platonic heaven, and it’s their unlikely kinship that ultimately drives the film home to its bittersweet ending. Alex Wolff also brings a ton of charisma and heart in the limited screentime he has, with Djimon Hounsou in an even more limited but welcome return to his role from Part II.
A Quiet Place: Day One has way more to say about humanity than the trailer would have you think. As we’ve seen humans fight to survive any situation possible, Day One manages to stand out in both its subgenre and its franchise by taking a different approach to man vs. monster. While it may not be the best horror movie or even action flick, its brilliant characterization, simple but effective script, and outstanding performances make it a strong contender in the action/alien/survival subgenres.
A Quiet Place: Day One is now available to stream on Paramount+ in the U.S.
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