Silent Running

Rating: 10/10 (15 April 2018)

GRADE: A-
THIS FILM IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
IN BRIEF: A modern horror classic that earns its scares with taut direction and strong acting.
JIM'S REVIEW: Are they man-made robotic predator destroying humankind? Or are they savage alien invaders? It is never explained but the evidence is there...deserted towns, empty stores, streets with nary a person in sight. They're here and waiting for an iota of sound to signal their swift attack in John Krasinski's tension-filled horror film, A Quiet Place.
A family tries to survive these dire conditions and live in a hushed world. Any sound could equal death. The moviegoing audience immediately emphasizes with their dilemma from the start. That is the clever premise behind this thriller. Interesting, but not such an original idea...the hunter being captured by the game theme, but it is handled with a high degree of skill and execution that seems refreshing and innovative. (In fact, I recently a similar effective plot and formula in an episode of the Black Mirror anthology series called Metalhead which was also very well done.) The lean screenplay by Bryan Woods, Scott Beck, and the directorconsists of efficiently paced scenes of peril and, just as the stalkers are of the slice-and dice variety, so is Mr. Krasinski's sparse and razor-sharp precision in creating a frightening world. He eliminates much exposition and hones in on the central theme of a family in crisis and a parent's responsibility to protect their children at all cost. Yes, there are a few logical missteps dealing with decibel levels rationale...(and why not just throw an object farther away from oneself to distract the attacker since it goes directly for the loudest and closest nearby sound?)
In A Quiet Place, the family communicate through sign language and gestures. The slightest sound can bring doom to their doorstep. The movie wisely has minimal dialog with subtitles, and utilizes sound effects and visuals to convey the fear. It also makes the moviegoer "listen", a rarity with today's annoyingly loud dissonant movie blockbusters that ratchet up the noise. Credit to the sound design and CGI artists, Marco Beltrami's atmospheric score, shadowy photography by Charlotte Bruus Christensen, Jeffrey Beecroft's claustrophobic farmhouse design, and, oh yes, the acting.
What makes this film have its overall impact is the actors involved who show the sadness and madness of their life-or-death situation. The child actors are perfectly cast in conveying their camaraderie and familial ties. Noah Jupe and deaf actress Millicent Simmons are wonderful in their roles. Emily Blunt (Mr. Krasinski's actual wife) exudes a gamut of emotions and her chemistry with her real-life doe-eyed husband is quite palpable and convincing. (There is a lovely shared moment of the two dancing in silence before Neil Young's Harvest Moon comes into play.) And it is those quiet "real" moments that give the film its power.
Without given too much away, the film has many scenes of nerve-wrecking suspense...a scene in a grain silo, a water-filled basement, an invasion in a cornfield, etc., to name a few. There is much to admire in a film that relies less on its gore and violence and more on its characters and actions to deliver genuine scares which are frequently earned.
A Quiet Place pumps up the volume and its sound of silence rings true. It is one of the year's best.