A Quiet Place: Tag Eins

I just got out of A Quiet Place: Day One

It wasn't what I was expecting, based on the trailers, I was looking forward to seeing the carnage of Day One and everyone figuring out, silence is golden and that they need to be quiet. I didn't like that almost everyone learned to be quiet, off screen. So it was nothing we have not seen before. Characters trying to get from A to B (the point B, being stupid), whilst trying to be quiet.

Keeping it spoiler free, the movie starts off with a huge reveal (not in the ad camping) regarding a main character, that robs the movie of something.

Lupita Nyongo (brilliant, how does she not get more work?) and Stranger Things, Joseph Quinn (giving young Robert Downey Jr vibes) are both great and have good chemistry!! They share some nice, tender, human scenes (thought the script never makes it clear, why their characters connect so quickly and deeply) in what is a pretty sad and depressing movie. Not what was advertised, at all.

The CGI looks good and there are a few genuine jump scares.

This really doesn't seem like a franchise movie, it's much smaller in scale and scope (despite taking place in New York City, on the first day of an alien invasion) than the first two movies and that is a compliment, as it adds to the intimate and claustrophobic atmosphere, but from the trailers, his looked to be the biggest of them all.

I will say, that cat was way too quiet. It constantly took me out of the movie, how quiet it was being.

It sounds like I hated the movie, I didn't. It is a well made movie, with some fun action sequences that made me want to eat a margarita pizza. I just didn't love it, as much as I'd hoped and I think it's a missed opportunity.

This movie wasn't bad but it could have been called Quiet Place 3. This movie should have focused more on the aliens, the why, where and how of them coming. Even how they were able to determine the mode of hunting and such frim the aliens. To me things like that would be a better prequel.

I did really like the emotional aspect that was written into the story but it began to feel that story line became more the focus as the movie went on and the aliens became the after thought.

The special effects were great. The alien design was same as before stellar. I think the movie would have benefited from being more focused on the aliens and building up to the fight against them.

Unexpectedly, quite dull.

'A Quiet Place: Day One' builds some tension well and features very good sound design, though the story and its characters are a disappointment. I have no issues with Lupita Nyong'o and Joseph Quinn, they try, but Sam and Eric are written quite boringly. I felt like we were missing some major character development for both.

The plot is rather underwhelming. There is some additional meaning in there admittedly, but it's literally one lame objective and then the standard styled exit. It felt whilst watching that the movie had barely any flesh on its bones. The cat stuff is cute, though the obvious lack of true jeopardy for Frodo even hampers that from hitting for real.

There is at least a pleasing use of Nina Simone's Feeling Good. Overall, however, this left me feeling extremely meh, unfortunately. I am, it is worth noting, someone who doesn't love the original two movies; though I did like the first flick just about enough.

Although occasionally tugging at the old sentimental heartstrings, A Quiet Place: Day One offers zero answers about what happened during the initial invasion.

It's true, "hiding the monster" is essential in some cases, but we are now three movies in, know what they are, and we WANT to know more about them. But alas, nothing.

The two leads are solid but given very little in the way of action because there is little to go on. The earlier installments, especially the first, had a way of steadily ratcheting up the tension from beginning to end, keeping the characters in what felt like genuine danger at all times. Not here; the monsters are always off someplace in the distance, like watching a Lion at a zoo that barely sticks his head out of his cave to take a bite, then goes back in for a nap.

The fleeting moments when we see the monsters are technically impressive, showcasing the filmmakers' skills. However, it never feels like a danger to our two heroes or their cat. Maybe a little here and there?

This isn't a terrible movie, and It doesn't feel like a "cash grab" when watching it. However, when you make a prequel billed as 'What Happens on Day One' and it doesn't show it, with little tension, no new territory covered, or answers given, it's hard not to feel disappointed.

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September 2024 - Clearly the top three reviewers (I am currently in 4th) read my review first, even using my angles and terminology. Maybe they are A. I.? Who cares, except, they couldn't write a review without spoilers could they?

I'm really perplexed by this one, I had genuinely expected it to precede the first film, give us some answers, some explanations, and set us up for that Emily Blunt scenario, it doesn't...

...It somehow does the same job as the first film, but with less success, there are some excellent scenes, but we have genuinely seen it all before, except for that cat.

I don't really know what the purpose of this one was, did none of them get to hear about those monsters, was this way before, or is it a total reset?

Day one, implies that month 6 or year 2 is on the way, I wonder, we certainly have some potential with that boat.

I thought it was well acted and features some wonderful visuals, the visual effects team did a great job with it, wonderful looking sets.

It reminded me of one thing, there's nothing like Whisky and cold pizza.

Cat deserves an award.

6/10.