A Quiet Place Part II was one of the first movies to be negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic; not too long after a series of junket interviews and even a red carpet premiere, the movie found itself pushed down the release date calendar until it was eventually delayed by over a year. Unlike a few other recent releases, this sequel proved to be worth the wait, and the fact writer and director John Krasinski managed to capture that same lightning in the bottle as the first instalment is an impressive feat and one that leaves us eager for a Part III.
After a nail-biting opening sequence that reveals what happened the day this franchise’s terrifying creatures first arrived on Earth, we find the Abbots seeking out help in the aftermath of Lee’s death. They find that in Cillian Murphy’s Emmett, an old friend of Lee’s who has become hardened by the tragedies he’s faced in the wake of everything that’s happened. From there, the movie splits its focus, though Emmett and Regan’s efforts to reach a radio tower where they can use her hearing aid to weaken the monsters - despite being the most exciting storyline - occasionally feels a bit too familiar. We’ve seen a lot of post-apocalyptic movies where survivors stumble across a world-saving idea that can turn the tide, so it’s almost a little disappointing when A Quiet Place Part II heads in that direction. Evelyn, meanwhile, sets off to find medical supplies and more oxygen, while Marcus is tasked with looking after his new baby brother. As a whole, these arcs all work really well together, tying into each other in satisfying, exciting, and clever ways.
Make no mistake about it; this movie almost never lets up, and there are plenty of edge of your seat moments to be found. Krasinski proves himself a master at amping up the tension to a point where your heart will be thumping out of your chest, and the actor and filmmaker once again makes superb use of sound to help with that. It’s actually quite incredible how easily Krasinski portrays the feeling of deafness during scenes with Regan, and he utilises a lot of clever filmmaking tricks in order to deliver some big scares.
A Quiet Place: Part II is available to Download & Keep from the 18th August and on 4K Ultra HD+Blu-ray™, Blu-ray™ & DVD from the 30th August.
Talking of Regan, Millicent Simmonds proves herself a real talent yet again with A Quiet Place Part II, delivering a really special performance that points to her being a heavy hitter in Hollywood moving forward. Noah Jupe is also good, though Emily Blunt commands every scene she’s in with a moving, powerful performance that makes us believe in the anguish she’s feeling inside, all while portraying a mother who will do quite literally anything to protect her children in the direst of circumstances. It’s Murphy, however, who is perhaps the biggest surprise. It was never going to be easy replacing Krasinski, but his character is a compelling one who, admittedly could still just be Lee had he not died in the first movie, but has enough baggage of his own to make his arc one that feels worth getting invested in.
While a spinoff is planned, a third chapter feels like a must, hopefully with Krasinski at the helm. We’re definitely keen to see what else he can do as a filmmaker outside of this genre, but we can’t help but want to spend more time with these characters. The premise of this franchise still feels fresh, and we’d love to see the story of the Abotts conclude in a way that satisfies before everything from prequels to spinoffs and perhaps even a TV series inevitably follow.
John Krasinski ratchets up the tension to almost unbearable levels in A Quiet Place Part II, a sequel that doesn’t disappoint thanks to its stellar cast, more big scares, and a story that feels earned after that excellent first movie.