North Texas Daily

Although movie theaters have been officially reopened for a while now, it has felt like there haven’t been any movies worthy enough to be a “welcome back” for audiences. Before the pandemic hit, horror fans and general audiences alike were waiting for the sequel to “A Quiet Place,” until delays led to the sequel being pushed back to 2021. Director John Krasinski has done it yet again, and there is no doubt that his love for the horror genre translates onto the big screen. This movie was worth the wait, and if any movie can get people back to enjoying the theater-going experience, it is “A Quiet Place Part II.”

In the horror world, it is rare to find a sequel that can out-duel the original. I can say with full confidence that this film adds to the first installment, while also showing why it should be recognized as the better of the two. Emily Blunt, playing Evelyn Abbott, makes us all wish she was our mom in real life, and seeing her do anything to protect her family adds a layer of heart to this film that follows the lead set in the original. Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe are also back as Evelyn’s children, Regan and Marcus, and Simmonds is easily the star of the show. If anyone stole the show, it was Cillian Murphy’s brilliant portrayal of Emmett. As a big “The Last of Us” fan, I felt like Krasinski pulled a lot from the relationships in the hit video game, and used those emotional beats to expand the world he created. No one did a better job of portraying those elements than Simmonds and Murphy, and their story in the film is worth the price of admission alone.

What separates bad horror movies from good ones are the scares. A statement that is so obvious, yet something that seems to be overlooked in some horror movies. Good scares and jumps are earned through scenes of tension: watching a character slowly turn a corner in a pitch-black room or seeing someone slowly open the door to see what is behind. These concepts are so simple, yet a lot of horror movies in recent memory rely on catching the audience off guard and scaring them in ways that almost feel mean-spirited. This movie scares you in ways that make your body ache. Whether someone is going through physical pain or emotional pain, you feel every ounce of it. The aliens in this movie are more monstrous and feral, so that gives us moments of fast-paced horror when they are on screen. At the same time, the whole movie is about watching every move you make, avoiding making any sound, so there are moments that are so tense and silent, you can hear what candy the person is eating in the back of the theater. It is masterfully done, and I can not put into words how much I loved this movie. Back when the sequel was announced, there was no part of me that thought it was necessary, but now I will happily eat my own words.

Call me crazy, but going to the theater added so much more to this movie than I could have ever asked for. We have all been regulated to streaming services for so long that I almost forgot that going to the movies is a special kind of event. This movie was almost perfect for me, and I have to admit that being in a theater with a bunch of people waiting to be terrified definitely added to that. Horror is the best genre to convey a story, and Krasinski strengthens that statement with this film. He should direct horror for the rest of his life, and that is a completely unbiased opinion from an unbiased horror fan. In all seriousness, this movie exceeded my expectations in every way possible. I don’t know if I am still running off the adrenaline from seeing this movie in a theater, but the whole experience was perfect, and “A Quiet Place Part II” is the perfect movie for anyone willing to see it.

Final Rating: 5/5

Courtesy Variety