<p><strong><em>A Quiet Place, </em>Part II</strong></p>.<p><strong>Director: John Krasinki</strong></p>.<p><strong>Cast: Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe</strong></p>.<p><strong>Score: 3.5 stars</strong></p>.<p>'A Quiet Place', for all its fanfare and hype, was little more than a movie that relied too heavily on sound as more or less the only plot device that mattered. Not to say it wasn't good, but its excessive reliance on ine element, to the detriment of others, made it not a particularly great experience. <em>A Quiet Place </em>Part II, thankfully, fixes most of these issues.</p>.<p>To be fair, <em>A Quiet Place</em> certainly had a rather innovative premise as far as alien invasion movies go. Aliens who can hunt and kill at the slightest sound? It's almost as terrifying as having the Xenomorph tailing you in the claustrophobic areas of the Nostromo, but the movie was paired with a rather plain story and characters that weren't particularly remarkable.</p>.<p>Part II, on the other hand, turns heel on this, moving away from the aliens as the main focus and putting the Abbott family front and centre as they head away from their devastated home, finally holding a weapon that works against the alien horde. This doesn't mean they're out of the woodworks - the family is still as desperate as ever, and with resources fast dwindling, they latch on to any hope, even a fool's hope, that there can be a way to live safely in the world.</p>.<p>This is where the movie's strengths lie, and with its excellent balance of its characters, the threats and the possible reward, it is elevated to an almost excellent film. There is a lot of internal conflict with the Abbott family, especially after they meet Emmett, who for all intents and purposes is a survivor in the meanest possible term without being heartless. Through him, the Abbotts, particularly Regan and Marcus, come to be their own characters as they both face their own challenges in their quest for safety.</p>.<p>The film makes great use of a two-pronged plot - Emmett and Regan's quest to find a means to weaponise the feedback that makes the aliens vulnerable, and Marcus and Evelyn's quest to just stay alive as long as they can - to deliver an effectively tense atmosphere that doesn't let go of the reins right from the beginning of the film.</p>.<p>The two plots, though distinct at first, come to be closely intertwined as the film progresses, giving the entire film a great finish with little to complain about. All this is paired with John Krasinki's excellent direction (and Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl's sound editing) for an experience truly distinct from the first film, yet one that feels like a proper continuation in the sense that it builds on the strengths of its predecessor while carefully excising the weaknesses.</p>
<p><strong><em>A Quiet Place, </em>Part II</strong></p>.<p><strong>Director: John Krasinki</strong></p>.<p><strong>Cast: Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe</strong></p>.<p><strong>Score: 3.5 stars</strong></p>.<p>'A Quiet Place', for all its fanfare and hype, was little more than a movie that relied too heavily on sound as more or less the only plot device that mattered. Not to say it wasn't good, but its excessive reliance on ine element, to the detriment of others, made it not a particularly great experience. <em>A Quiet Place </em>Part II, thankfully, fixes most of these issues.</p>.<p>To be fair, <em>A Quiet Place</em> certainly had a rather innovative premise as far as alien invasion movies go. Aliens who can hunt and kill at the slightest sound? It's almost as terrifying as having the Xenomorph tailing you in the claustrophobic areas of the Nostromo, but the movie was paired with a rather plain story and characters that weren't particularly remarkable.</p>.<p>Part II, on the other hand, turns heel on this, moving away from the aliens as the main focus and putting the Abbott family front and centre as they head away from their devastated home, finally holding a weapon that works against the alien horde. This doesn't mean they're out of the woodworks - the family is still as desperate as ever, and with resources fast dwindling, they latch on to any hope, even a fool's hope, that there can be a way to live safely in the world.</p>.<p>This is where the movie's strengths lie, and with its excellent balance of its characters, the threats and the possible reward, it is elevated to an almost excellent film. There is a lot of internal conflict with the Abbott family, especially after they meet Emmett, who for all intents and purposes is a survivor in the meanest possible term without being heartless. Through him, the Abbotts, particularly Regan and Marcus, come to be their own characters as they both face their own challenges in their quest for safety.</p>.<p>The film makes great use of a two-pronged plot - Emmett and Regan's quest to find a means to weaponise the feedback that makes the aliens vulnerable, and Marcus and Evelyn's quest to just stay alive as long as they can - to deliver an effectively tense atmosphere that doesn't let go of the reins right from the beginning of the film.</p>.<p>The two plots, though distinct at first, come to be closely intertwined as the film progresses, giving the entire film a great finish with little to complain about. All this is paired with John Krasinki's excellent direction (and Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl's sound editing) for an experience truly distinct from the first film, yet one that feels like a proper continuation in the sense that it builds on the strengths of its predecessor while carefully excising the weaknesses.</p>
