A Masterpiece of Horror, full of Heartfelt Emotion and Tension, with Emily Blunt giving her Best Performance yet

Rating: 9/10 (6 March 2019)

When the first trailer for this movie came out, I was highly intrigued; I am NOT a fan of horror movies(contribution of a weak stomach and nerves), except for a few classics like Alien(s), but this one seemed to have something that more and more horror movies absolutely lack these days: warm emotions and genuine characters. The concept was one that was fairly simple and I was slightly surprised that it hadn't been tried yet, but John Krasinski's take seemed to be full of thoughtful attention to detail, so I was willing to give it a shot. Best decision I made in a long time: not since the Last of Us has a horror story been so effective and made me feel so much.
Acting:
John Krasinki stars in his own movie, and while the few lines he says are the ones that feel the most forced, he carries a very impressive nonverbal performance as a worn father who has done everything in his power to make his familiy feel save and loved. He is by far the weakest actor in this ensemble, and that is still of a high quality.
His real wife Emily Blunt is the best of the bunch: her simple role as a mother is so powerful and real that I really think she should have gotten an oscar nod for this. Her character suffers perhaps the most throughout this movie, both physically and mentally, and she delivers every second of it masterfully.
Looking at the kids, Noah Jupe and Millicent Simmonds, they were perfectly cast. Their chemistry as brother and sister feels real and warm, and both are considerably skilled in acting scared and full of grief when it is required. Most kids in horror movies tend to be annoying and do nothing but scream(from my experience) but these kids are absurdly talented and are a wonderful exception.
Direction:
While John Krasinski has not been working long as a director, which is noticable in some scenes, this is an absolute highlight for him. The razor-sharp tension and heartbreaking emotion are for 95% effective throughout the entire movie, and John's vision was brought to screen excellently.
Cinematography:
This movie is gorgeously shot with surprisingly little tools. Because the environment of the scenes is so simplistic, not much is used to acquire the right shot. Yet they all look beautiful, and capture exactly what Krasinski wants the audience to feel and experience. It is not oscar-worthy, but certainly deserves high praise.
Plot:
This is were most of the internet reared its ugly head: plot holes are very easy to spot here, and some not easily covered. I myself do not care for any of them. That is not what this review is about. The point is, can a movie still be effective enough with these holes in place, and it absolutely does. The relatively simple premise is executed ridiculously well, and each character has a certain arc through an inciting incident early in the movie, each of them getting their moments to shine and for us to feel for them.
Music:
Marco Beltrami is known for scoring several horror-movies, including the very dark and grim Logan, and while his score is not exhilarating or achingly beautiful, it is very effective in delivering both warmth and absolute terror. Comparisons with the Last of Us are easily made, and I can understand why.
Editing:
This movie is very effectively put together, and the transitions from point of view at the highest moment of tension works surprisingly well, just as the passing of time in the day-to-day life of this simple family.
Sound:
Well that's just kicking in an open door is it? (Let's not do that here, but be quiet) Two Sound Designers wrote this movie, and they did everything they could to convey the impact of sound in this world in the best way they could. Their sound editing/mixing is highly effective and sometimes quite beautiful. This works best when there is no sound at all, but absolute silence when "looking through the ears" of Millicent Simmonds, who is deaf herself in real life.
Production Design:
This movie was, aside from being shot beautifully, also dressed beautifully. The home of this family and their farm is stoked with many props and details that makes it feel lived in and fitting for this type of world, and is an excellent execution of John Krasinski's vision.
Tone:
Thanks to the terrific cast and direction, both terror and love are brilliantly done, and every struggle that this family goes through is felt, just as much as their happiness when they would succeed. The monsters, while not particulary interesting in design, have a gripping presence and it's very hard not to feel scared when they come into frame.
VFX:
This is my only real complaint. When I saw this for the first time, seeing the monster in full view for the first time was pretty off-putting. The CGI was very noticable and took me out of the moment pretty quick(I was just as quick pulled back in because the rest of the production was that good). In close-up, the monsters are much more terrifying, or when blurred in the background, but not in full fiew. I guess it comes with the unwritten rule of showing the monster as few times as you can.
Overall Concensus:
The best horror movie I have ever seen, and an achievement that John Krasinski can be proud of. There are minor hiccups sprinkled throughout, but the overall product is so gripping and effective that I label this as the best movie of 2018. 8.9/10