Hooptober XII: 13/32

Michael Sarnoski’s A Quiet Place: Day One is a very well told, touching story focusing on an entirely different look at survival compared to its familial counterparts. A film that is acted superbly, while also standing tall as a visual marvel, it’s one I’m not sure adds that much more to its cinematic universe however. Instead of serving as a prequel, Day One is more of a sideways story in the same world that assumes its audience knows the rules, rather than attempting to show their origins. There are some fun and cool concepts that I feel could’ve added more texture to A Quiet Place lore, but they missed a fun chance there.

Lupita Nyong’o’s nuanced performance is the heart and soul of A Quiet Place: Day One. She leads our story through the lens of a terminally ill cancer patient, ready to pass on at any moment, with an aching artist’s heart. It’s quite a narrative departure from the family ties which serve as the heart of the series’ first two entries. Again though, it feels like there was so much potential to explore different thematic elements for the franchise, but there are just too many moments which go nowhere. Nyong’o’s run in with two children. Djimon Honssou’s character accidentally killing someone in front of his child. That sappy magic trick. Maybe I’m letting the first cold of Autumn make me a bit salty, but too many parts felt like shoehorned sentimentality just for the sake of it. Contrarily, Pat Quinn adds a welcome layer of depth though, with their third act scenes of tenderness doing their job to at least tug on my heartstrings enough to stay engaged. 

Horror wise, I think it’s PG-13 rating gets in the way here. The creatures look imposing and towering in this entry, but their presence feels less looming than its predecessors. More overwhelming Aliens quantity, and less abject Alien terror. Pat Scola’s cinematography adds a layer of eye candy in A Quiet Place: Day One, and it’s a great film from a technical standpoint. But dangit, something just didn’t hit for me. 

And it’s not their fault, but if you introduce a kittie to the central narrative, that’s all I’m going to worry about. Frodo Forever. 
😷🤕👾🛸🚢🐈