When director John Krasinski eliminated sound from “A Quiet Place,” he achieved an eeriness few films have. The drama soared at the box office, prompted a sequel and now has a prequel, which is just as quiet, just as frightening.
In “A Quiet Place: Day One,” Lupita Nyong’o stars as Sam, a terminally ill writer who is trying to protect her cat from the wrath of flying creatures who have an intense sense of sound.
As she makes her way down the streets of New York, Sam meets a business student (Joseph Quinn) who gloms on and tries to understand the way of the new world.
Their journey is fascinating (and heartbreaking) as they hit old haunts, enjoy pizza and try to talk as little as possible.
Lupita Nyong'o and Joseph Quinn star in "A Quiet Place: Day One."
The key to understanding everything, though, is Nyong’o’s eyes. They reflect a multitude of emotions and provide what the screenplay hasn’t.
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The cat, too, is a scene stealer. Put the three of them together and you wish there weren’t two other episodes (or more) that come after this.
Writer/director Michael Sarnoski does a fine job recreating the terror Krasinski introduced with the first film. He provides ties to the second and has a way to crack the door for a sequel. What he doesn’t have is answers to those questions we’ve had throughout the series. What, for example, is the best way to kill the creatures? And why isn’t the sense of smell a giveaway? What, specifically, do the aliens feed on and how do they multiply?
The information gaps worked in “Quiet Place’s” favor, but this edition isn’t necessarily the great untold story installment. It’s simply the same run, different setting.
As Nyong’o details her circumstances, we wonder what might have happened to those she called friends. When the cat disappears, then resurfaces, we realize what matters. The cat is great at keeping quiet (and clean); the cat makes you care about the duo’s fate. When the newcomer enters, he becomes a lifeline and a comfort – until the threat returns.
Watching people run down the streets of New York conjures visions of another threatening day and draws on those moments that must have been harrowing.
The shift – from Krasinski’s country setting – is good, particularly since it involves other forms of transportation and a revolving door that seems brilliant and stupid at the same time. A close-up look at the bug-like creatures (perhaps there’s a scientist somewhere who could weigh in) might have given “Day One” a little more heft.
Still, boiling this down to another individual – one who’s alone and not traveling with small children – gives another perspective and reason to jump when someone in the theater happens to make an unexpected noise.
The franchise – unlike many that are stretched to the limit – still has value. Putting someone of Nyong’o's caliber in the lead polishes the concept and provides the kind of sheen we haven’t seen since M. Night Shyamalan started directing.
