A Quiet Place is entirely focused on, and nails, an extremely tense tone

Rating: 7/10 (5 September 2018)

Unlike most movies, A Quiet Place doesn't come in with tons of different ideas and try to put a great movie together by sheer quantity. Instead, Krasinki has created an unrelenting thriller that uses sound brilliantly. The premise is a good one, and the movie is shot such that the viewer empathizes and roots for the family. The nervousness and relief the characters feel was felt just as strongly by me, which is a hard act to pull off. The practicality of the monsters was consistent, as I wasn't bothered by plot holes while watching (though I did wonder about how the world would survive - how do you produce food for over a year with no machines, for example?). I also like the decision to keep the movie brief and stick to the heart of the movie. At the end of the day, it is just a tense thriller that uses sound innovatively, and doesn't add much beyond the great atmosphere. The acting is excellent, particularly Blunt, and the direction and script are taut and intelligent, but it's not one that stays in my mind for days afterwards. A good, thrilling watch but not a mind-blowing one.