From the moment I reclined in the Dolby Cinema, I knew I was in for a wild ride. A Quiet Place Part II is an experience just like its predecessor. Part II opens up the world to show audiences what happened and what the world has become outside of the Abbott family. What I wasn’t expecting was that Millicent Simmonds, who plays Regan, and Noah Jupe, who plays her brother Marcus, would be the true heroes in this story.
Going to the theaters is an experience, but A Quiet Place takes sound to a new level. From the crackle of a leaf to the roar of a monster, the film provides a wide range that will keep audiences on their tiptoes. I’m not usually a fan of movies that cause me to jump out of my skin, but a friend talked me into seeing A Quiet Place because it was an interesting film with sound. They weren’t wrong. It truly is a film everyone should experience. A Quiet Place Part II expands on this and offers fantastic character development for many of the characters.
The world of A Quiet Place expands when the family must leave their home and look for help after the birth of the baby and the death of Lee Abbott, played by writer and director John Krasinski. The film starts on a sunny day in the small town that the Abbott family lives. The day the planet was invaded by the creatures and thrown into total chaos. It gives audiences a brief look into how it started but still leaves the story open to interpretation. Fast forward to the exact moment that the first movie ended, and the new journey begins.
“We saw how the Abbott family did in the first movie, but John was like, ‘how did everyone else fare’?” Emily Blunt says. “How is everyone else affected by this world? How are they living? And he was so interested in that. So I think that was why the world has to expand, it’s a sequel, so it’s got to get a bit bigger. And yet I do feel it’s still got the emotionality of the first one.”
The idea of having a newborn baby in a world where you can’t make a sound or you’ll be killed is terrifying. It becomes obvious that the family must leave, and keep moving to a place where the baby wouldn’t doom them all.
We see the Abbott children taking the lead in A Quiet Place: Part II. This is one of the main reasons Krasinski decided to help create the sequel. Being about to share a story about where the next generation goes from where they are now is the story. Simmonds and Jupe are forced to grow up fast and think on their feet if they want to survive to be adults. Sitting around waiting for the creatures to kill you isn’t living though, and Regan sets out to show others how to kill the creatures.
“I think it’s important for people to see especially Millicent’s character, this really becomes her film,” Blunt says. “There’s a real handoff that takes place, this is her movie. And I think John always felt that was appropriate for the symbolism of really the world that we are leaving our children like, ‘how are they going to handle it? How are they going to save us?’ And ultimately, they, they will be the ones to save us?”
“The first movie is about the promises you make to your kids, that you’ll always be there,” Krasinski says. “The second movie is about when that promise is inevitably broken, which I believe is what growing up is all about. These kids who had such a stable ecosystem of support, now have to fend for themselves. And I think there’s a real organic, parallel to real life in that. And these kids are going out into a very unique world all alone. And yet, they still managed to impress every single person with their courage with their bravery, and with their belief systems of believing and other people, when really, they have no reason to believe in other people. They still believe in community, they still believe in the hopeful ending to this story. And so we go along with the ride with them.”
Regan’s faith and trust in people and community are also her biggest fear. When mankind is faced with survival there are some terrible things that happen. Grief and fear can change people. Regan still pushes forward to fill her father’s shoes. It’s a transformation from the first film that makes Part II such a great sequel.
“Regan really looked up to her father, looked up to Lee, she admired his courage,” Simmonds says. “And when he dies, she felt a burden. ‘I now have to take on my father, I need to be the leader of the family. I can’t be a child anymore. I have to quickly become an adult.’ And she had to find the competence in herself to do that.”
The journey the Abbott family goes on brings them one step closer to living a life away from constant fear. We meet more people from their town like Emmett, played by Cillian Murphy, who helps the family. His character is jaded by the events that have taken place. His snap judgments fade away as he learns to trust Regan.
Djimon Hounsou also joins the cast for a brief scene as the “man on the island.” His journey to the island sheds even more light on the creatures.
‘A Quiet Place Part II’ Review: The Youth Will Guide Us
Summary
A Quiet Place Part II goes beyond showing us where the creatures came from and shows us how the world’s youth are going to step out and change it for the next generation.
