'A Quiet Place: Day One' A Review

A Quiet Place: Day One is a horror/drama, a prequel to A Quiet Place and A Quiet Place II. Sam(Lupita Nyong'o) is a terminally ill cancer patient convinced to go on a day trip to NYC by one of the nurses Reuban(Alex Wolff). In the city the "event" occurs and the monsters invade. Sam has to come to terms with the situation, what life she has left, and her death. Along the way she meets and befriends Eric(Joseph Quinn).

Nyong'o as always is magnetic and assured grounding, wholly, this monster movie in absolutely real and compelling human stakes. She is totally confident, totally present in her performance and be sheer force of talent elevates the material. Wolff and Quinn similarly give great turns, incredibly emotional and honest. Djimon Hounsou makes a brief appearance, the only disappointment in the casting is that he's not in it more. The surprise star is the cat Frodo, Sam's companion/service animal, who's presence again underscores the humanity involved.

Visually slick but in some ways perfunctory. If there is an issue here it is that writer/director Michael Sarnoski is not particularly interested in the franchise or its mythology so this is less a horror movie than it is a thoughtful exploration of mortality that happens to have huge bestial aliens in it rather than A Quiet Place installment. Not a surprise coming from the man behind Pig but given A Quiet Place II was an object lesson in diminishing returns its probably just as well. Sam's journey and Nyong'o's portrayal of it is compelling, deeply emotional, and satisfying. What happens on "day one" in John Krasinski's little monsterverse no one really cares about(nor should they).

Almost despite itself, an entertaining and moving piece of film.

Currently in theaters, coming soon to VOD.

See It.