Xtreme Vogue Islamabad Desk: Sidra Yusuf
A Quiet Place: Day One (English) Review {2.0/5} & Review Rating
Star Cast: Lupita Nyong’o, Joseph Quinn
Director: Michael Sarnoski
Review Synopsis:
A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE is the story of two strangers who bond while surviving an extra-terrestrial attack. Sam (Lupita Nyong’o), a terminally ill patient, resides in Little First Hospice outside New York City, USA. Reuben (Alex Wolff), who works at the hospice and is Sam’s friend, asks her to join him and some more patients on an outing to Manhattan. Sam agrees on the condition that she should be treated with a pizza. In NYC, Sam, Reuben and other patients attend a puppet show. While they are inside the theatre, the city gets attacked by hostile extra-terrestrial creatures. What happens next forms the rest of the film.
Story Review:
John Krasinski and Michael Sarnoski’s story is okay and repetitive. Michael Sarnoski’s screenplay is peppered with some nail-biting moments but overall, it doesn’t make the desired impact. The dialogues are minimal which has always been the case in this series. The absence of subtitles, however, is a downer.
Michael Sarnoski’s direction is average. He creates an eerie atmosphere and also makes good use of the city infrastructure like glass-laden skyscrapers, subway system etc to add to the madness and chaos.
But the film suffers as it doesn’t offer anything new to those who have seen the earlier two parts. Though it’s just 99 minutes long, it seems longer. The scene of Sam and Eric (Joseph Quinn) in the club in the pre-climax is sweet but doesn’t fit in a film like this. Also, it’s bewildering how the US authorities in no time understood that one needs to remain silent to escape from the creatures.
Performances:
Lupita Nyong’o proves yet again that she’s one of the finest actors in Hollywood. She hardly has dialogues and expresses beautifully through her eyes and body language. Joseph Quinn has a late entry but dominates the second half. Alex Wolff is lovely in a small role. Djimon Hounsou (Henri) is decent, and one wishes he had more to do in the film.
A Quiet Place: Day One movie review music and other technical aspects:
Alexis Grapsas’ music is minimal and impactful. Pat Scola’s cinematography is thrilling. Simon Bowles’ production design and Bex Crofton-Atkins’ costumes are first-rate. VFX is spectacular while the action is not too gory this time. Andrew Mondshein and Gregory Plotkin’s editing is slow.
Conclusion:
On the whole, A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE offers nothing new and is a forced prequel.
