Written & Directed By: Michael Sarnoski 

Story By: Michael Sarnoski and John Krasinski 

Based on characters created By: Bryan Woods & Scott Beck 

Cinematography: Pat Scola 

Editor: Andrew Mondshein and Gregory Plotkin

Cast: Lupita Nyong’o, Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff, Djimon Hounsou, Elaine Umuhire 

After the events and revelations of ‘A Quiet Place’ and ‘A Quiet Place: Part 2,’ it is time to go back to ‘Day One’. Following Sam, as she’s on a group trip in New York City, everything is going fine, until the invasion that sends the world into silence begins. Can the city stay quiet and can Sam and Eric. a new unlikely friend, make it somewhere safe? But no matter what happens, don’t make a sound and you might just find out what happens. 

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This film does what it’s supposed to do. So there isn’t much wrong with it, except. At this point why is this franchise still going? As you got enough of a story from the first two films. So what is the point of this one? To see the invasion from the beginning in a new land that is more of a city landscape that is vast yet familiar? From a different character point of view other than the same family? I thought part 2 offered some of that.

I understand Hollywood is a business and while there are no problems with the filmmaking in hiring director Michael Sarnoski to helm this film, which has him going from more independent productions to this big-budgeted film. Offers the film to have. A more intimate feel between the characters and also the Audience. Not feeling so big and impersonal. The director here has a vision. 

Though just as it tries to offer a different story in the same world. It’s a sequel not many were asking for or offering anything new. Ultimately it feels hollow. Though offers some good filmmaking that one wishes could have been used on a better and more original project. 

Not every story needs a sequel. Most are fine as stand-alone. Even if there is a sequel there should be a reason other than financial to ultimately tell a story. The same thing with reboots maybe audience attendance is down isn’t just the sequels, reboots. It’s the material and not feeling like something we have already seen many times over and over. It insults the audience with bad to stupid films that have bad scripts and the only reason they are made is because they can get two stars or a few to co-star in it. While being paid ridiculous amounts of money.

The film is visually beautiful and quite the production, but it’s also familiar and not scary. Even the jump scares are put In falsely as a kind of cop out and it feels that way. 

As this is more of a modern-day disaster film with a minor science fiction twist. Fans do these films won’t be disappointed. Though not as much of a family story as the previous films. 

One can also admit while this film was going and having seen all of them so far. There were still some questions overall. Not enough that there needs to be another film to answer them. Just trivial ones. 

The film is solid in the franchise it’s just not needed and by adding a score. It makes it feel more like a byproduct of a studio. Rather than a truly original piece of filmmaking. Part of the magic of the first film was that it lacked a score or soundtrack. That forced the rhetorical audience into silence similar to the characters in the film. Here that has been taken away.

One loves that Lupita Nyong’o gets to be the lead of another horror film. That is a major Hollywood production. One only wishes it let her use her talents better. No matter the quality of the movie. I am rarely disappointed by her performances.

Though she is arguably the lead and the hero. While Joseph Quinn is more the damsel in distress though does get to have a harrowing scene or two of his own. Which is the only truly original element this film has to offer.

One can at least say that the films never cheapen the experience and each new film feels like much care and design went into it and makes them each noteworthy in their own way. 

Grade: B-