Director – John Krasinski (The Hollars, The Office)
Starring – John Krasinski, Emily Blunt (Wind Chill, Into the Woods), and Millicent Simmonds (Woodstruck)
Release Date – 2018
Rating – 4/5
4k Release – 4.5/5
Tagline – “If they hear you they hunt you”
Every year there is a handful of films that are released and sweep over the horror community. In 2018 there was a few to hit theaters that drew praise from horror fans. A few of the bigger releases that year were either really entertaining or some big duds. I saw several disappointments that year after hearing all the praise from the horror community. People like to bitch and moan about certain films regardless if they’ve seen it but tend to flock like mindless drones to a film just because they hear others talking about.
One film that caught a ton of praise was the mostly silent film A Quiet Place directed by The Office’s John Krasinski. I had seen a handful of people bashing it but most of my horror minded friends loved it. I wanted to check it out in theaters but my wife was almost 9 months pregnant so we had to skip on it. I reviewed the blu when it was released and really enjoyed it but I had not went back to revisit it. That changed when I was lucky enough to get the new Mondo Steelbook of the 4K release in for review. This thing is absolutely gorgeous.
**Spoiler Alert**The film follows a family living in the country and fighting to survive. Most of mankind has been eliminated by blind creatures who rely on sounds to hunt. They lost a son to the beasts and a year later are expecting a new child. They prepare for the bundle of joy by soundproofing a bunker but things go south and a series of events puts the family in danger when the creatures invade their home.**Spoiler Alert**
I really enjoyed A Quiet Place. It wasn’t an action packed blood filled gore ride that I typically enjoy but I did really have fun with it. It marched to a beat of a different drum and held my attention the entire time. The writing and directing team really crafted something unforgettable.
The acting in this one is fantastic. The cast had to work around using dialogue to create their characters. They work very well with each other and the addition of sign language brings even more impact to the story. The cast did a fantastic job.
The story for this one is solid but does have a few plot holes. Honestly, it reminded me of War of the Worlds starring Tom Cruise. The no hope aspect mixed with the eradication of mankind only to be stopped by the simplest of things put me in mind of War. Aside from that the film is fantastic. The plot holes are very minor and take very little away from the overall production.
Finally, the film doesn’t have gore. There is a little blood and some CGI monsters. The monsters do stand out and will not stand the test of time. The CGi is rather cheap when compared to other films of the time. I liked the creature design but the CGI is far from perfect. Overall, A Quiet Place is a modern horror classic that clawed its way up to a spot with the greats. The 4K is not that much of an improvement over the blu, if its an improvement at all but the steelbook looks gorgeous. Be sure to check this one out!
