Un lugar tranquilo 2

I always say the opening scene/sequence of a film is crucial, and even more so in a horror movie. When the title card 'Day 1' pops up at the beginning of 'A Quiet Place Part 2' you know you are in for a treat. And it is a truly great sequence. I'm not normally a huge proponent of jump-scares, however the first one in this movie absolutely got me, and I'm rarely gotten. This sequence sets the tone for the film masterfully and then everything else flows from there.

There is a lot I like about this film, but also a bit I didn't. I'll get the negatives out of the way first so I can finish on a positive note. The film missed John Krasinski in an acting role. In the little bit of time we get with him we are reminded of just how charming and charismatic he is. Cillian Murphy just can't replicate it. The film also didn't feel like it added much to the first. The story advances, but we don't get any new information. The film seems to exist purely as a bridge between the first and what I assume will soon be the third entry in the series. There's also a little bit of a hopeless feeling about everything. We aren't exactly sure what the endgame is in all this and that can make it slightly less investing.

The positives though are plentiful. Krasinski proves the original was no fluke, he is indeed a gifted director. The film looks great, in particular the monsters. The characters are again extremely likeable, particularly both of the children. Getting kid actors to make it work is so rare but these films achieve that and the film is so much better for it. Also the pacing is lightning quick. The film is basically non-stop and the credits rolling is going to catch a lot of people off-guard I suspect.

I'm a little torn on this one. I like it, but certainly a little less than the first one. It ramps things up with a lot more action and a lot more of the monsters. But it does miss Krasinski in an acting role big time and doesn't quite have the innovation of the first. It's definitely worth a watch though and I eagerly await the next entry.

This one picks up where the first one ended. There is a small backstory about the first day the creatures landed on earth. Director John Krasinski builds suspense through pacing, a slow buildup to when someone, as careful as they are, inevitably makes a loud noise that unleashes the slaughter. Krasinski likes to use wide angle shots of people running for their lives as the monsters fly into the frame. Silence is followed by a cacophony of screams.

We see more of the creatures this time, a sort of reptilian extraterrestrial concoction. Newcomer Cillian Murphy plays a survivalist who has lost everything. But the strength of the first A Quiet Place, as with the sequel, are the emotional, powerful performances from Emily Blunt, and her onscreen children, played by Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe. Simmonds especially, blends courage and compassion, garnering our support, so that she becomes the hero.

The ending leaves the door open to a third installment.

I liked how the story begins with how the whole invasion began. They should have spent more time on this. As a matter of fact, this should have been a worldwide view of how humanity failed against the invasion. Instead, you get a story that at times makes you wonder if you missed something (on the pier especially). Also, the son appears to have gotten stupid since the first movie. The ending is rather contrived. With all the periods of silence in the movie and the style of showing two or three parts of the story all intermingled at once, you get very aware of the director "doing something". It weakens the film. The ending is so contrived that you think....."say whattttt". The characters' decisions in this movie make for many plot holes where their actions in the original are not something you question. So is the sequel how they get the daughter's discovery out there, If you can believe no one else figured this out. For that matter, I wondered how this type of creature can create and fly a spaceship. Do they multiply here? Were they kicked off a planet like Alien Nation? These creatures don't seem to have intelligence, organization or government. It's like the dinosaurs figured out how to build a spaceship and fly through space. The movie grossed about $350 million so there will be an unnecessary sequel. Watch a movie called "Earth vs. The Flying Saucers" from the mid-1950s and you will see the same "discovery" on how to kill the monsters.

Although AQPII is not bad, it does look like an attempt to cash in. There's a few problems with it and most of them are in the storyline. Here is an overall difference with the first film:

In the first one, there was a clear storyline, almost no plot holes, novelty and the right amount of tension.

In part 2 however , you kind of know exactly what is about to happen and that lessens the film experience.

For example, the tropes used in this film, are all the classics. Yes, they were used in the 1st film too, but at least then they were timed and deployed better, so the tension was nicely built and a sense of unpredictability was evident.

Now in part 2, I have a feeling that the story was a bit of a stretch. Also, the motives of the protagonists were at times unjustified, just to push the story forward.

So the story ends up with flaws, which disappoint mostly because of the predictability and the too many cliches. I would want to mention a few which I m sure many noticed but better not to spoil it. You will know once you see.

Also, it's not as quiet as the first film. Sound editing is great also in this one, but maybe there were more speech moments than needed.

Overall, the good parts: tension is there, cinematography is beautiful once again and we get to see some good acting.

I do hope that there's a part 3 and I hope they improve the story.

6,9/10.

If nothing else, I'm primarily impressed with how these films seem like a cinematic franchise built out of the raptors in the kitchen sequence from Jurassic Park. This is the very rare sequel that at the very least is equal to what came before and it reminded me how much I missed going to the movies.