A Quiet Place: Day One (2024), the franchise’s third installment, just hit theaters this past weekend, and it’s worth a watch. This new entry, written and directed by Michael Sarnoski, is a beautiful balance between horror, action, and drama that will keep the entire family engaged, especially because it’s PG-13. I believe it’s a stronger installment than the second, and it opens the world beyond the original family and who they come in contact with. We follow Sam (Lupita Nyong’o), a terminally ill patient who ends up in New York City during the initial alien invasion. Sam’s story intertwines with several other survivors in the crowded city, which adds layers to the drama. Also, with more characters, there are more deaths, which is something most horror fans can get behind. If you are waiting to spend your coins in the theater, here are the pros and the cons.
Pros:
This franchise shines in sound design: A Quiet Place: Day One is no different. This movie put New York on hush, which is an incredible feat. Everyone in the theater was holding their breath. People (I am people) were nibbling their food as quietly as possible, even taking breaks when there wasn’t much sound on the screen. You could see heads sharply shift in the direction of a cough or clink of a glass, probably thinking, “Do you want us to get killed?!?”. That’s evidence of powerful sound design; silence is a great way to create tension in the theater.
The cinematography had captivating movements. Pat Scola was the cinematographer, who also was the cinematographer on Often by The Weeknd. Some of the movements felt similar. Quite a few terrifying zoomed-out shots show the extent of the damage and chaos. It’s a good thrill for the apocalyptic movie lovers. Usually, outfits would be minor on the first day of the apocalypse. However, costume designer Bex Crofton-Atkins used small details to make a major difference. She created interesting shapes and surprisingly well-fitted outfits for New Yorkers caught in a sudden alien invasion (I’m not complaining). It helps that the cast is hot.
Speaking Of The Cast
While A Quiet Place: Day One is the longest movie in the franchise, it drags the least because the characters are constantly on the move. Sam has a specific goal (I’m not sure how I feel about it yet) that keeps her jumping directly into the danger zone. This choice led to more natural opportunities for tense hiding scenes, or action-packed chase scenes. There is also the threat of larger-scale attack scenes due to the setting.
The performances can make or break these movies. Characters are often silent and must convey nuanced emotions using facial expressions and body language to sell the scene. The cast did an excellent job communicating what the characters were feeling non-verbally. I think the cat deserves an Oscar for the water scene.
Cons:
I try to avoid trailers, but I saw the trailer for this movie. The trailers created this idea in my head that “Man On Island” (Djimon Hounsou) would get the reverence he deserved. I believe he got a name and a pinch of character. I created the idea that he and Sam would be tearing up The Big Apple together, but that’s not quite the movie we get. The optics of Sam going around helping everyone, although she’s in pain is sometimes hard to swallow. Black women are made to be mules for others while they suffer and put themselves on the back burner or in harm’s way. Her terminal illness seemed to be the driving factor of her risky decision-making during a cataclysm. However, many of the risks she took saved people, so I won’t complain (She deserves V.I.P. in the upper room). I have mixed feelings about the ending, but I am happy the cat came out on top.
Overall, the pros outweigh the cons and A Quiet Place: Day One is worth the ticket price. However, be mindful when selecting a theater. The environment is fragile, and too much outside noise will take you out of the movie.
