A Quiet Place Part II

Written and directed by John Krasinski and starring his better half, Emily Blunt, is this sequel to the excellent and original 2018 hit.

We pick up the story, where we left the first film, via a minor detour back to day one of the invasion by the sound sensitive, human killing alien attackers, allowing us to meet Cillian Murphy’s Emmet. Evelyn (Blunt) and children Marcus (Noah Jupe) and Regan (Millicent Simmonds) leave their farm and head over to a factory with signs of life where they are reacquainted with Emmet. From here they discover a chance to build on the discovery that sound can be used as a weapon and set off on a dangerous road trip to rescue humanity.

For me, Part II did not quite match the originality of the first, feeling a little more predictable. It is at its best in its opening scenes, introducing us to the events of day one (Including Krasinski’s character Lee). There are some nice nods to the original, as well as plenty of action packed carnage and a prescient tale of a world changing overnight. But its that more obvious story telling that lets this down a touch. Its predecessor was clever with the way it used sound, or lack of, to build the tension and drive the story, while here it relies a little more on jump-scares and action set pieces. Although the more predictable story is perhaps inevitable as Krasinski looks to draw it to a close.

All that said this is by no means a bad film and as a two part story it works extremely well. This time we are more focused on Regan, brilliantly played by Simmonds, who does the bulk of the work, alongside Murphy’s Emmet. Blunt and Jupe play more supporting roles, although their story still delivers plenty to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Even if it lacks some of the ingenuity of the first this is still tense and tightly directed. At just 97 minutes, it tells its story very efficiently, perhaps recognising that their is no need for complexity, detours and exposition.

While Part II doesn’t quite reach the standards of the first, it is still a very decent tense action thriller and as a two part tale it more than delivers.