A Quiet Place (2018)

Directed by John Krasinski

Written by Bryan Woods, Scott Beck and John Krasinski 

Starring John Krasinski and Emily Blunt

The plot of this film drew me in so immediately I was practically running to the theaters to see it when it first premiered. Silence is literally survival in this post-apocalyptic world now ruled by creatures that hunt by sound. Throw in that John Krasinski's name is attached to this film everywhere, including a starring role alongside his fantastic wife, Emily Blunt-- and you've got a great movie. 

Set in what we are to believe is the near future, the film follows the story of a family who is doing everything they can to survive in this dystopian world with creatures lurking in every shadow. These creatures are cold-blooded killers who hunt by sound, so this family must keep completely silent at all times if they want to survive. 

First off, huge props to Krasinski for bringing us this mega suspenseful horror film, when his previous big credits include playing Jim on The Office. Not to say I had no faith in his directing and writing abilities, but going from the goofiness of that show to this, is a huge leap. Krasisnki does a fantastic job at conveying how important utter silence is. He even goes to extreme lengths as to have the family walking around barefoot the whole movie, because even the crunch of a leaf under a shoe would draw those creatures in. The family spends most of the movie speaking in sign language, so most of the actual sound is background noises, the monsters, or the occasional whispers of the humans. Even with that though, this film is so suspenseful and keeps you on the edge of your seat grabbing the friend next to you at every big scare. 

Another great aspect of this movie, is its focus on the family and not the monsters. A Quiet Place begins in the aftermath of whatever apocalyptic hell brought on these monsters, so we never really learn there origin, but I like it that way. It's not about the monsters, it's about the family who is defying the odds and adapting to survive in spite of the new inhabitants of the world they once knew. It's about the parents raising their young children in silence. This movie is not only scary, but it has a great storyline and the way things pan out isn't overly corny like some monster movies tend to be. 

John Krasinski does a great job in this movie, but Emily Blunt-- his wife in the film and in the real world-- is the shining star. Her characters displays such a wide array of emotions. The scene where she has to deliver her baby in silence in a bath tub, was enough to grant her an Oscar nomination, I think she may have been snubbed with that one. Her and John Krasinski obviously have great chemistry in the movie too, which is a benefit of casting yout actual wife to play your wife in your movie. Good thinking Halpert. 

A Quiet Place is a masterpiece horror flick. It even has some raw emotion, I couldn't believe I found myself tearing up at the end. 

9/10