A Quiet Place [SteelBook] [Blu-ray/DVD] [Only @ Best Buy] [2018]

“A Quiet Place” takes place in a world where the usual comforts of life are absent. People must be silent, since sound is the enemy and can result in a horrible death. A father (John Krasinski), mother (Emily Blunt), and their three children attempt to normalize a life that is anything but normal. Grotesque, voracious creatures hover, just waiting to pounce. Although they are blind and their only clue to human presence is sound, even the slightest gasp or crushed leaf or dropped toy can bring forth these demonic monsters. So life must be extremely quiet — no TV, no radio — even a whisper can be lethal. We see what an unexpected noise can do when the young son activates a mechanical toy and the buzzing causes one of these creatures to snatch him away. Krasinski, who also co-wrote and directs, offers a fresh take on the horror genre. There are no nubile teens venturing stupidly into danger, no gruesome scenes of torture, and no maniacs with sharp implements stalking about. The monsters, which are pretty awful-looking, are not shown clearly until about halfway through the film. Until then, they’re seen in flashing glimpses that provide shocks while hinting at their size and speed. It helps that Krasinski and Ms. Blunt (his real-life wife) are both excellent, their characters using expressions and sign language to communicate. Some of the early scenes show a family that not only has acclimated itself to a world without sound, but has meals together (served on vegetable leaves to avoid the clinking of plates), plays Monopoly (using cotton playing pieces), and does laundry (by hand, of course. A whirring washing machine would spell doom). The father is desperately trying to discover weaknesses of the creatures, but hasn’t succeeded. Though the film doesn’t have a typical soundtrack, it is not without sound. Periodically, we’ll get a loud musical cue when something awful happens or is about to. And the little sounds — breathing, the heartbeat of a baby, a creaky floorboard — create enormous suspense. Are they loud enough to draw the killer beasts? When the father and son head down to a river, the sound of rushing water temporarily breaks the silence and, because the roar of the water is louder than speech, provides cover for the two to talk as in better times. The movie’s greatest pleasure is that it uses suspense as it should be — to enhance terror, make the viewer anticipate, build tension, and make us care about the family. An example of well-crafted suspense occurs when the pregnant mother is delivering her baby while struggling to remain silent. If she screams, both she and the baby will perish. The script never addresses where these creatures came from. Whether they are alien creatures or the result of mutation or some other source doesn’t really matter. The focus is on one family and its constant, ongoing attempts to keep silent and survive. Attempting to explain the unexplainable would only cause distraction. Title cards tell us what day it is in the nightmare chronology and that sense of time illustrates the ingenuity of the couple and their kids to keep from becoming human prey. Rated PG-13, “A Quiet Place” is an excellent horror thriller. Combining some basic elements of the genre with an interesting concept makes for an exciting motion picture. Bonus materials on the 4K/ Blu-ray Combo Pack include the behind-the-scenes featurettes “Creating the Quiet: Behind the Scenes of A Quiet Place;” “The Sound of Darkness: Editing Sound for A Quiet Place,” and “A Reason for Silence: The Visual Effects of A Quiet Place.” A digital copy is enclosed.

There is a lot to say about A Quiet Place, the third directorial effort from John Krasinski (The Office) starring real-life wife Emily Blunt in their first on-screen collaboration (and as a married couple no less), but more than anything this is a movie that encapsulates the equal amount of unexpected fear as compared to the expected amount of joy that comes along with becoming and being a parent. It is something society doesn't often prepare you for and that you don't hear much about when embarking on this particular chapter in your life. People tell you how it will change your life, certainly, and how it will do so for the better as well as how tough things will be at different times for different reasons, but no one ever seems to warn expectant parents just how much fear will encompass their lives and in what are otherwise seemingly normal of situations. This isn't what A Quiet Place is about outright, but as the father to a three year-old daughter that is what A Quiet Place is most explicitly about to me. It is a summation and tense execution of what it feels like to solely be responsible for the lives of those that are dependent upon you whether they see it that way or not; they simply expect you to be there for them because that has always been your role without a second thought to the worry and fear that role might encompass and carry. A child's perspective is difficult to re-adjust to the point they understand the full spectrum of various emotions we as human beings are capable of experiencing, but there is something inherent when becoming a parent where your brain automatically switches to all-of-a-sudden be weary of any potential dangers to your child while at the same time coming to the realization your strengths and abilities might not be enough to protect them from whatever the world throws at them. Granted, A Quiet Place is this times fifty-seven and represents the worst-case scenario of what are most of the time internalized fears, but that is what makes the film so effective and ultimately, so moving. At the center of the story is a family unit that has been fractured by grief in the midst of having to adjust to this new way of life thanks to an extra-terrestrial threat whose origins remain a mystery sans some quick glances at a few newspaper clippings, but the context doesn't matter as much as the concepts that bound forth from its simple, but intriguing premise. Through all of this, Krasinski hones in on what makes the premise work so well, that being the grief, necessary coping, and inherent fear that inevitably comes with making ourselves vulnerable enough to care so much about others. Realizing these emotions and this feeling of need to protect and shelter those you are responsible for even when you have no idea how you might accomplish as much into a tight, ninety-minute actualization that will have you holding your breath and remaining as still as the reflections we see on screen.

A Quiet Place should be prefaced by a disclaimer that, while purposeful, requires a quiet audience. I have a hearing problem, and was really intrigued by a film that openly communicates its use, advocact, and support of ASL and the deaf community. That said, the sound design was top notch, and only added to the overall tension of the setting amidst creatures who hunt solely by transmitted sound. It should come as no surprise that the chemistry between Emily Blunt & John Krasinski is tender, and real given their IRL pairing, but they each rise to bring more than just standard fair suspense/thriller dynamics to the forefront. Millicent Simmonds is an absolute pleasure and her angsty & emotionally tortured portrayal of Regan Abott often anchors the story into the realm of psychological drama. As I watched, it was clear how much emotion and purpose was behind each sign she delivered. Frustration, anger, sorrow, and fear...each were hard to ignore as Millie delivered her first fantastic starring role. A Quiet Place earned its spot among my top horror/suspense/thriller movies, and I highly recommend all to check it out.

A Quiet Place is a film of great sonic interest, even if that doesn't always translate into great sonic intensity. But it does, as it needs. The film opens with little footsteps and the trace sound of a crayon scribbling on the floor. Characters communicate in sign language, and the most insignificant, hushed sound can be vital to their survival, or a misstep that could cost them dearly. Silence is necessary through much of the film, and gentle support nuance can become a sonic focal point, which the Atmos track delivers with impressive placement and clarity, even at whisper-quiet levels. The track can get so quiet, at times, that ambient sound in the home theater -- like a running air conditioner -- can get in the way of any given scene's silent intensity. Modest winds blow about, light rustling leaves define the countryside, and floating papers blow around abandoned towns. These can be essential, mood- and environment-shaping sounds, elevated well beyond traditional sound roles in other films, but not amplified. Six minutes in and music does enter the track: it's fluid, light, and well spaced. On the other hand, particularly later on in the movie, music can be heart-pounding and intense, enveloping a large portion of the listening area.

The cover design on this steelbook is awesome -- a few monster claw marks are slashed through the cover, embossed so that you can run your hands over it and feel the depth of them; I also love the red and black color tone of the case. As far as the movie goes, it's a really great horror movie. The idea of a silent, apocalyptic world has been touched on and thought about before, but no other film has ever captured it as terrifyingly and effectively as this one. It truly is an amazing film that cannot be missed. This is a great steelbook to go along with an even better movie. Also: I feel like steelbooks protect your movies better than a simple plastic case, so, while the price may seem a little high (I won't deny the fact that it is), you're paying for a collector's edition case that can go through a lot and still be in good shape.

In a year filled with noisy and explosive films vying for your attention, this quiet little indie is one of the few releases so far this year worth talking about. It has the clever mechanics of a Hitchcock thriller combined with creepiness and slow dread of Shyamalan's finest. Mix in rich characters developed with almost no dialogue and a strong family theme and you've got a recipe for greatness. If you're bored with the over the top A.D.D. fueled offerings this summer, you're guaranteed to be wowed by the subtleties of this thoughtful and meticulous little thriller. So, pop up the popcorn, turn out the lights and make sure you have your favorite blanket duck under.

A Quiet Place is just excellent. It's only the second feature length film directed by John Krasinski, but he shows himself to be an incredibly talented director here. The biggest draw to this film is the use of silence. Most movies nowadays (especially horror films) seem to be afraid of being quiet. There always has to be something happening, or music playing in the background, but silence is used in this movie to great effect. Not only does it create a really unique atmosphere, it makes for some genuinely tense sequences. Acting across the board is excellent. Overall I was very pleased with this movie, and definitely looking forward to what Krasinski does next!

This movie reminds of Jaws mixed with Signs (Mel Gibson). This is not a fun movie per say it’s about loss, love, sacrifice and family. It is gripping and I don’t think you could fully relate to it unless you are a parent. That’s just my opinion. There are some things I do not like about the film but I will not spoil it for anyone, it is still a must watch. There is some original stuff in this film which you have to appreciate cause now in the world we live in its much easier to refresh something old rather to come up with something original. Don’t get me wrong it’s not all original but some of it is and that seems to be the best we can hope for these days.