Starring: Lupita Nyong’o, Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff and Djimon Hounsou
Distributor: Paramount Pictures Australia
Runtime: 100 mins. Reviewed in Jun 2024
Reviewer: Peter W Sheehan
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This is an American horror film about a woman in New York City who is caught in an invasion of creatures that respond savagely to any sound they hear.
The film is based on a story conceived by John Krasinski, and is the third instalment in the film series of Quiet Place movies, that began with A Quiet Place (Part I) in 2018, followed by A Quiet Place (Part II) in 2021. Both these movies were directed by Krasinski, who also starred, along with Emily Blunt.
This film is from a story written by director Sarnoski together with Krasinski, who also co-produced the film. Day One does not feature Krasinski or Blunt as, according to the distributor, it is not a continuation of Part II, but stands independently from it. Audiences are advised it is best viewed as a prequel to the 2018 film that began the series.
The film centers on people in New York City who have to cope with blind aliens who attack on any sound they hear. Everything ordinary suddenly becomes threatening, simply because it causes sound. The effects of terror on everyday lives highlighted strategies that needed to be developed on how to survive, such as screaming only when thunder occurs to mask the sound. This is the third film in a horror series that has worked well. It impressively holds its tension, and it continues what set the series apart in the first instance from other horror movies: terror lies lurking in ordinary, everyday events.
The film’s dramatic strength is evident in a variety of ways. Parts I and II showed the impact of terror associated with ordinary events as they affected a single group of people – a strongly-knit family. This film shows the effects of terror on a whole city. Despite the continued script involvement of Krasinski, the terror is now more communal.
The movie sits more obviously in the category of ‘disaster’ films, affecting people at large, and for the most part character development in attempts to cope are part of a broader scenario. Samira (Nyong’o) and a friend Eric (Quinn) are the most obviously affect but the aliens’ behaviour affects a lot of people.
This horror film has a theme that has worked well. Ordinary events have the potential to be associated with terrible consequences. It is not inconceivable that a final film will bring Krasinski back to a directing role.
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