I'm not even a horror fan, but I loved it...

Rating: 9/10 (8 July 2018)

Aside from The Thing and Alien, horror has never been my ideal film genre, though if a horror film possesses an interesting premise I won't hesitate to see what transpires. I was deeply engaged throughout A Quiet Place. Despite the little amount of dialogue, a strong connection is developed between the Abbots, who need to communicate exclusively with American Sign Language so their spoken dialogue doesn't attract the creatures. The performances of Blunt, Krasinski, Simmonds, and Jupe are all stellar, their characters are absolutely wracked with fear, guilt, and loss because of the desolate world they live in and the traumatic events they've endured. Simmonds is the dramatic highlight, playing a troubled child overwhelmed with blame over the death of a loved one she inadvertently caused. You will root for these character's survival thanks to the believable performances and emotionally investing writing that tailored them. Props to Krasinski for his skillful direction. The cinematography often tells the story more than the action and dialogue so you really gotta work your mind around the meaning of certain shots to piece together the full narrative.
I personally enjoyed the setting that's established in this film. Of course, the whole world has been overrun by these sound-sensitive creatures, yet the film exclusively takes place in a rural location, which is my personal favorite setting in a post-apocalyptic story. The Abbott's farm is a very unique location, as it is elaborately sound proofed. Watching the family silently and creatively engage in various everyday tasks and activities that generally emit noise was quite engaging. This movie does a brilliant job immersing you in the character's mindset. Like the Abbots, I genuinely panicked too when a loud noise was accidentally made and when the creatures came running. Because of the wide open space and limited resources of their rural home, it made me wonder how the characters would escape their perilous situations, and the film is a powerhouse of tension-inducing set-pieces of this type. My only personal setback was the ending, and without giving anything vital away, A Quiet Place is one of those thrillers that closes with uncertainty, leaving the outcome up to the audience's interpretation. Most people are okay with this, but I just felt it could've ended on a more serene and hopeful note rather than teasing us with a potentially riveting new set-piece.
A Quiet Place had me at the edge of my seat throughout. It tells a thought-provoking story about family and survival with minimal dialogue and tons of nerve-wracking tension. I just wish the ending was more established rather than leaving the viewers to assume what happened. Regardless, it has an intriguing premise, strong performances, bold production design, and smart direction. Value the theater experience for this one, it's half the thrill.