John Krasinski returns to the world of A Quiet Place Part II with one of the best horror films of the year so far – a resounding hit that improves in almost every level on its predecessor, expanding the world and adding to the mythology, taking us back to Day 1 whilst maintaining a spectacularly focused approach that has to be seen in the cinemas to take delight in – it’s no coincidence that I was on the edge of my seat from start to finish, despite seeing this comparatively late at night. I had a triple feature with The Unholy and Spiral: From the Book of Saw, and to say this film makes the other two movies look like amateur films in comparison would be an understatement – now freed from his acting duties save for a short cameo at the start, Krasinski steps back from the spotlight allowing Cillian Murphy to take centre stage.
The cast all deliver their A-game this time out, and it’s an insanely strong ensemble. Millicent Simmonds was amazing in A Quiet Place and was robbed of an Oscar nomination, she’s just as good here – if not even better, it’s so refreshing to see a deaf character actually played by a deaf actress and she provides the emotional heart and soul of the storyline – teaming up with Murphy’s character for a quest across the dangerous wastelands of post-apocalyptic America gives the film a very similar vibe to The Last of Us borrowing from several locations and scenes for inspiration, which it can’t quite match, but the dynamic between both characters work well and Murphy gives that edge of unpredictability that the all-American action hero of Jack Ryan and the every-day office worker from The Office doesn’t really have. Emily Blunt of course, is fantastic – I’m amazed at what this film accomplishes in such a tight running time and it doesn’t feel anywhere near as long as it does.
Picking up from the end of the first film once the flashback is out of the way almost immediately A Quiet Place Part II takes no prisoners – people are killed off left right and centre and nobody is safe. As always, the atmosphere is fantastic and the film keeps the audience on edge from the word go – sure, you can question some of the decisions that the characters make and the narrative hook that leads to all of them getting split up around the start of the second act feels forced, but in the context of the world itself it’s easily believable – it’s easy to sit back and judge from afar.
Between A Quiet Place Part 2 and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, horror is very much leading the way in terms of getting people back to cinemas, and it was just such a joy being back in the big screen as this is one of those movies that absolutely plays better with a crowd.
