Review of A Quiet Place Part 2
midlandsmovies • September 3, 2021
A Quiet Place Part 2 (2021) Dir. John Krasinski
Following directly on from the 2018 monster hit A Quiet Place, comes Part Two of John Krasinski's post-apocalyptic horror franchise.
What we already know from the previous film is that huge spider like creatures have taken over the planet, they're fast, murderous and have hyper-sensitive hearing which helps them seek out their prey.
Our protagonists are the Abbott family, which during the films prologue (set before the first film) we see are enjoying a peaceful day watching a junior baseball game before our hostile critters come hurtling from space into the atmosphere. Confusion and panic immediately follow as chaos descends onto the town.
This scene is a different but welcome departure from the usual “quiet” set pieces throughout both films, it really showcases Krasinski as a director and his handle on making a genre film feel fresh.
The film picks up moments after the conclusion of the first film, the Daughter, Regan Abbott (Millicent Simmonds) has discovered that high pitched audio triggers the creatures sensitive hearing and makes them exposed and susceptible to attack.
The Mother, Evelyn (Emily Blunt) with a newborn baby in tow, leaves the now destroyed family home behind and ventures for somewhere secure with Regan and son Marcus (Noah Jupe).
When Marcus mistakenly steps on a bear trap, he screams, alerting the nearby beasts to their location but they are rescued by an old family friend Emmett (Cillian Murphy) who shelters them but makes it abundantly clear that it is only temporary as he wants to be left alone.
This simple yet familiar narrative of survivors seeking refuge and help in a barren world sometimes runs the risk of being tedious to the audience, but this isn't the case here.
Written and directed by John Krasinski, much like the first film, the story is kept simple and the dialogue sparse, to really capitalise on the atmosphere and the tension such a situation creates.
One such scene is an absolute masterclass in structuring a thrilling act, we have three different tense situations in different locations play out at the same time. I don't think I have been that exhilarated in the cinema for a decade. A bona fide nail biter.
As the film ends it was clear and later confirmed that a third part would be produced, I liked the ambiguity of the conclusion however I couldn't help but feel it seemed under-cooked compared to the middle act.
One of the first major, theatrical releases to be delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was also one of the first significant films to be released in cinemas in 2021 after a long period of them being closed. It is not hard to see why A Quiet Place Part Two was a critical and commercial success, even in the face of a pandemic. It delivers on every front, the direction, editing and cinematography are brilliant, the acting even more so with a stand out performance from Millicent Simmonds and another example of why Emily Blunt is becoming one of the most interesting actresses working in Hollywood.
Its a fine balancing act, to successfully release a “monster” movie and then deliver a sequel that can stand head to head with the original and other classics of the genre, the extraterrestrial aliens are shown more but still have a mystique about them, they retain their chilling vagueness which is the most important aspect of creating a truly terrifying movie. Bring on Part Three.
★★★★ ½
Guy Russell
Twitter @BudGuyer
On Sunday 26th April Midlands Movies Editor Michael Sales & awards ceremony co-host Ed Stagg (BBC Radio) announced the nominations for the 2026 Midlands Movies Awards live from the Queen of Bradgate Vintage Cinema in Leicester. A big thanks was given to the entire Jury Panel of industry experts who gave up their precious time to watch a huge selection of creative projects and as always, had a difficult time choosing from the excellent number of films from the region. You can read the full list of nominations across all 16 categories below and watch our announcement videos here: Part 1 & Part 2 And please also check out our great awards partner Chrome Video Best Actress in a Leading Role Karendip Phull for Family Kate Bracken for The Lace Rachel Baker for Throwing Fruit Chloe Wade for How Long Sophie Bullock for Ma Prison Best Animated Film Of All the Things by Steff Lee Big Red by James Pyle Statue in the Garden by Qianhui Yu Butterfly by Jacob Christie Best Director Luke Worrall for The Waterline Lily Portman for Quiet Jack Richardson for Daniel’s Room Jonathan Hawes for Sorry We’re Closed Sophia Dall'Aglio for Man from Mars Best Documentary Nothing's Impossible by Jacob Thomas McClean A Birmingham Symphony by Jemma Saunders We Bring Light: Leicester's Diwali Legacy by Kieran Vyas The Sunshine Café by Jill Lampert Through the Viewfinder by William North Best Sound (Editing or Mixing) Neil Evans & his team for Artificial Insanity Alasdair Gretton for Dead on Distribution Deepanjali Patel for Earworm David Hamilton-Smith for The Pause Heidi Wilson for Of All The Things Best Actor in a Supporting Role Devon Junior for Lazar Tim Sparrow for Safety Net Shaiek Ahmed Rana for Family Luke Rollason for Quiet Peter Willoughby for A Story of Spring Best Visual & Special Effects Jake Wesley-Worrall for Soul Trader Steve Askey & team for The Correction Unit Nick Willett, Matt Burkey & Jayne Hyman for Black Goat JaqD SFX MUA, Mind Magic Studios and Ben Harker for Beyond the Witching Hour Jacob Christie for Countenance Best Cinematography Gary Rogers for The Pause Laurence Mason-Guetta for Sorry We’re Closed Ian Snape for Soul Trader Ash Connaughton for Daniel’s Room Duane Adamoli for Surfing (nominations continue below...)
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