the quietest apocalypse is lost among the skyscrapers

‘A quiet place: Day 1’

What if the apocalypse breaks out but you have little to lose? This is the premise of A quiet place: Day 1a prequel to the two previous films, where its obsessive protagonist only has a compelling need to eat pizza before the end comes. Sam’s desire to say goodbye to the world in his own way prevails over the need for survival, giving us an atypical way to face aliens in a new and unknown world. But she will not be alone, since her daring cat and her unexpected companion, Eric, will also suffer and learn with her the new rules to follow.

Although Lupita Nyong’o and Joseph Quinnbehind the main characters, They are established actors who can’t handle this type of role in horror films., the real ‘scene-stealer’ of the film is the kitten. Named, aha, Frodo, the intrepid little animal will put the protagonists in more than one trouble with his adventures through the streets of New York. A tender and innocent look at an abysmal danger that imitates that vision of the children in the first two installments.

In a change of direction in this new film, filmmaker Michael Sarnoski – replacing John Krasinski in the direction, who continues as screenwriter and producer – decides to take the plot to the extreme. The creatures now move practically en masse and everything is much more impressive. Massive skyscrapers, mass killings, loud noises in a city that never rests…, but all this will not prevent the protagonist from feeling very alone.

Sarnoski forces the most tear-jerking plot to the extreme through the patients of a hospice, who are under the care of a nurse played by an emotional Alex Wolff (Hereditary). Besides, just like what happened with the Oscar winner Cillian Murphy In the second installment, the return of Djimon Hounsou (Blood Diamond, Gladiator) as Henri, a character previously introduced in the franchise, is introduced into underwear. A mere formality to interrelate the three films, but which wastes his reappearance.

Flaunting its most characteristic element, A quiet place: Day 1 It once again takes care of its sound to the millimeter to create the best suspense, but the increase in lines of dialogue and the absence of greater sound play never ceases to surprise. as originally happened with the introduction of the deaf character played by Millicent Simmonds. In fact, the most powerful scenes in this prequel are those in which gestures surpass words through elements as simple as, for example, an improvised magic show before a group of non-existent assistants, in a close relationship between Sam and Eric.

Added to this is the more evident presence of the extraterrestrials, who were initially almost invisible antagonists to avoid at all costs, creating a real fear of sound that is lost in this film. Although sound and special effects continue to be some of the keys to this horror saga, the truth is that the setting has changed a lot.

This film takes advantage of all the elements that were previously provided in the saga and that the protagonists now learn at a forced pace, such as that natural noise cancels the ability of aliens to hear. But, it does not provide anything new, beyond the fact that laughs at those who say you can’t love a cat as much as a person.

Although many will be captivated by the story because of the cat protagonist, this film is very far from that first installment that made us vibrate in 2018 with the fear of sound and quasi-invisible creatures. So, A quiet place: Day 1 It loses much of the essence of the quietest horror saga of the seventh art. The surprise, the shock of effect or the magic of silence are blurred in Sarnoski’s film, finding its strengths in a story practically starring a kitten who does and undoes as he pleases, and two stars of the caliber of Nyong’o or Quinn. I want to, but I can’t. Entertaining, but nothing more.

Do you want to be up to date with all the latest movie and series news? Sign up for our newsletter.