A Quiet Place Part II (2020)

Directed by: John Krasinski | 97 minutes | drama, horror | Actors: Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe, Cillian Murphy, Djimon Hounsou, Okieriete Onaodowan, Scoot McNairy, Zachary Golinger, Blake DeLong, Stefania Warwick, Alycia Ripley

Actor-director John Krasinkski scored a big hit with ‘A Quiet Place’. His debut in which a family had to survive in an apocalyptic world full of monsters did well at the box office. Proper use then follows quickly and further. The successor bears the unoriginal name ‘A Quiet Place Part II’. No subtitle in sight. Is that a sign that creativity has run out?

‘A Quiet Place Part II’ once again revolves around the Abbott family. After the tragic events of the first part, the family is looking for a safe place to raise their children. In a world full of monsters that react to sound, that is not easy. In addition, not only the creatures are evil, because humanity is not too kind to a vulnerable family.

What Krasinkski does very well – and that is something many genre directors can learn from – is that he takes his audience seriously. The characters are empathetic and behave like real people. Krasinkski’s wife Emily Blunt is a very strong actress and again plays a beautiful role. The greatest asset of ‘A Quiet PLAce II’ is Cillian Murphy. His character ‘Emmett’ immediately appeals to the imagination and deserves its own spin-off. Murphy once again proves to be a great actor who knows how to add enormous layering to his characters. With his facial expressions and posture, he expresses without words how his character feels.

Part two leans more towards action. Not that ‘A Quiet Place Part II’ is a full-blooded action thriller, but the tempo is higher than the original. Unfortunately, the tension is not as tight throughout the film. At times the film collapses a bit and Krasinkski loses momentum. Not that the film is boring, but a somewhat smoother direction would have resulted in a more exciting film. Either way, this horror thriller is worth checking out. The strong acting and the creepy atmosphere in particular are the highlights of this film that takes its audience seriously. That’s a breath of fresh air in a genre where stupid teens do stupid things and walk right into the arms of armed killers!