A Quiet Place Part II expands on its worldbuilding with confidence and catharsis

Director John Krasinski confidently ramps up the tension while simultaneously commenting on themes of family legacy

Back in 2018, who would have thought that John Krasinski, whom many know as the charismatic character Jim from The Office,  would have thrilled audiences with mere silence?

The tale of one family struggling to survive in a post-apocalyptic world is far from novel, but A Quiet Place (2018) took this dead horse of a concept and made it something that captivated both audiences and critics alike.

Creating a world ravaged by sound-sensitive monsters that rip apart anyone who makes even the slightest noise, Krasinski used inventive sound design and emotive character building to create a lean 90-minute experience that scratched the blockbuster itch while delivering on poignancy, a feat rarely accomplished by typical blockbuster fare.

Now comes A Quiet Place Part II, a film that was anticipated given the box office success of the first and the ambiguous fate of its characters. With any sequel comes the traditional notion that it won’t be as great as the first. Whether Part II challenges this notion is still up in the air, but what Krasinski accomplishes in this film is undeniably admirable as it cleverly builds on both the themes and world of the first film, albeit on a much larger scale.

Part II follows what’s left of the family after the loss of their patriarch (Krasinski) whose sacrifice forces them to journey away from their destroyed homestead, where they must deal with the birth of a newborn and come to terms with a possible solution to the apocalypse. Much like the first film, the plot reads like nothing special on the surface; thankfully, Krasinski holds the saying “execution is everything” in high esteem.

Krasinski constructs all his set pieces with tact and gusto. What seems like a standard chase scene is layered with character building and catharsis, which results in earned emotion, rather than something that is schmaltzy.

One such electrifying scene is the great opening: the scene immediately sets up events that will be revisited later in the film, builds on the world and character relationships, and delivers on its promised thrills. It is this consistent efficiency in each set piece that makes Part II such a rewarding and cathartic experience. It’s a film that delivers important information without resorting to tedious exposition dumps and sacrificing its momentum. This allows the film to accomplish its vision within 90 minutes rather than three hours.

That being said, the film’s writing does falter at points. While the efficiency of the film is commendable and arguably its greatest strength, Krasinski seems to have leaned too hard into this trait, as the film could have done with about 10 more minutes in length.

After a thrilling and spectacular denouement, Part II doesn’t have much of an ending, leaving the audience slightly unfulfilled, where instead of “wow!” the only words leaving their mouths are “that’s it?” The cliffhanger ending hinders the plot’s emotional impact and resonance through its insistence on setting up a third film. A more contained experience would have delivered a greater cathartic punch while still posing some key questions for the eventual threequel to answer.

Additionally, there is a moment where one of the younger characters makes the implausible decision to explore his newfound surroundings a day after suffering an almost crippling wound at the hands of a bear trap. While it’s well-known that 12-year-old children are curious, most wouldn’t be in any shape to walk on a leg that was impaled less than a day ago. These types of unbelievable moments can take viewers out of the experience, but thankfully they are few and far between here.

While the screenplay has a few chinks in its armour, it is never boring. A big factor in this is the great cinematography, one component that is much improved upon from the first film. Krasinski opted to hire Polly Morgan as the director of photography for the second installment, and it’s a decision that has paid dividends.

Morgan’s lush close-ups and breathtaking wide angles evoke the majestic and brutal nature of westerns, where the events on screen are at once grand and intimate. The cinematography aids Krasinski’s multifaceted approach, as it allows each scene to double down on thrills and emotion, making it feel like grandiose cinema. Morgan’s colour choice of deep browns and muted yellows helps sell the unforgiving nature of this post-apocalyptic world.

The performances of Emily Blunt, Noah Jupe, Millicent Simmonds, and Cillian Murphy all compliment each other and service the film greatly. While none of the performances particularly wowed, they are all still excellent as they allow the audience a close peek into the psyche and internalized trauma of each character.

A Quiet Place Part II is the perfect embodiment of what popular filmmaking should be: it delivers on thrills and action while never losing sight of the importance of having an emotional and thematic core. It’s a filmgoing experience that should appeal to everyone as it touches on the diverse struggles of each of its characters. Watching this film with your loved ones is a surprisingly great experience. As you watch the ups and downs the family at the heart of the film go through, you begin to appreciate and contemplate the bond and legacy your own family holds.

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