- Release Date: 28/06/2024
- Cast: Lupita Nyong’o, Joseph Quinn, Djimon Hounsou
- Director: Michael Sarnoski
The lack of new revelations and utter failure to distinguish itself from superior predecessors severely diminish an otherwise competent film with stellar performances
I walked into “A Quiet Place: Day One” with the hope of getting answers to questions that I have had about the aliens and their inception since the first film. I was hoping to see a lot more of the aliens, learn where they come from, why they have such a problem with sound, and how they ended up on Earth. Going by the trailers, I also hoped this would be a cracking actioner and probably have more action than the previous two films. After watching this film, I can say that I have never been more wrong about my expectations for a film before, as this film ended up being exactly the opposite of what I expected it to be and still ended up being one of the most engrossing and dramatically satisfying pieces of creature thriller to have come out this year.
The film revolves around Samira (Lupita Nyong’o), a terminally ill cancer patient who walks out with the other members of her care group for a puppet show. She can sense her imminent end and, in a moment of bullish persuasion of a wish, she drives her caregiver to take her for a pizza at a specific place in Harlem. It is at this juncture that the alien attack begins, and her ride back to safety is brutally cut short, causing her to lose the rest of her group. After somehow surviving for half a day, she decides to reach her favourite pizza place in Harlem and enjoy one last pizza before her life comes to an end. Following her in this pursuit is Eric (Joseph Quinn), a man bewildered by the furious onslaught of the aliens and clueless about what to do next. The two form an unlikely alliance that leads both characters to find not only a safe passage from mortal danger but also an oasis of calm amidst all the chaos and mayhem.
I was surprised by the amount of human drama and moments of tragic realization that a film of this nature had. The first 10-15 minutes of the film feature one of the most heartbreaking periods involving a cancer patient and how her world is crumbling. The woman in question values and prides herself on her self-respect and independence while reeling under the weight of realizing that her life is ending and she hasn’t been able to live the last few days on her own terms. This is an aspect that is reapproached throughout the film and is used repeatedly to extract human drama and emotions of the highest order. Her fixation on getting something as trivial as pizza amid the life-threatening circumstances that the city is facing may feel odd and annoying to many. However, when you are in the position of health that Samira is in and considering the impact, it is having on her psyche, her determination to fulfil a simple desire, no matter how trivial, is not only cathartic but also heartbreaking in many different ways.
The character of Eric is as different as he could have been from Samira, but he finds solace in her presence and decides to tag along with her even though she is going in the exact opposite direction from those seeking safety. He literally attaches himself to her, and despite her attempts to get rid of him, he follows with unshakeable zeal and dedication. His nerves are on edge, and there are numerous moments when Samira literally rescues him. However, as the story progresses, he makes her plans his own and takes unbelievable risks to do things for her that are uncharacteristic of him or the kind of character he is portrayed as. The buildup to their brief but powerful relationship felt real and organic. The emotions portrayed by both actors felt as genuine as they could have been, and through their performances, they were able to bring out the nuances of the terrifying situation they were in. Even with that, the brief moments of bliss that they are shown sharing felt poignant and wonderful.
The performances by Lupita Nyong’o and Joseph Quinn in these sequences are so on point and heartwarming that it was hard to take one’s eyes off them. The film has a lot of drama and moments that have no monsters in them, only the fear infused by their presence in the vicinity. Even without their presence, the two actors are able to bring out the quantum of fear and danger that these monsters have introduced into the lives of these people. Even for someone like Samira, who is on her way out, the monsters pose a threat that seems set to end her life before cancer has the chance to. For someone like Eric, who is studying law and still dressed in suits and ties while running for his life, this is territory he has never been in, and his expression of fear and claustrophobia is rendered so well that it strikes fear and concern for the character in the audience. The film builds up to some of the most tense and edge-of-the-seat moments, as was the case with the previous films in the franchise. While one has to agree that Krasinski and Blunt were a far more likeable and charming couple to root for against the monsters, Nyong’o and Quinn do not do too badly either.
There is enough monster violence in the film to satisfy adrenaline-charged action junkies who are in it for the violence and action alone. The cinematography and envisioning of the action sequences in the film are innovative and add to the fun of the proceedings. It also goes on to show the scale of the tragedy that is unfolding and gives us some insight into the mayhem that the monsters are creating. I was, however, absolutely frustrated by the lack of anything new to learn about the aliens that the film has to offer. They could have just called it an episode from the first day of the alien invasion and hinted that this time around, we would get to learn something more about the aliens and their inception. This was absolutely necessary in this part. I have had enough of seeing groups of people suffering under the weight of the tragedy that the aliens have brought along with them.
Now it is time to delve deeper into the genesis of the aliens and the what and why of their existence. If not that, we could have been better served by a film that took the story of the previous films forward, pumped up the scale of the monster violence, and for once shown the aliens being obliterated the way we have been wanting them to be. Unfortunately, none of that comes true in this film, and this led me to be frustrated by the culmination and overall presentation of the film, even though there are no major flaws or discrepancies in its making, execution, and performance.
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A film not meeting expectations even after doing everything right is a rarity, and A Quiet Place: Day One proved to be that unique film for me. Had it not had any predecessors, this would have been a great film. Unfortunately, we cannot forget or ignore that the franchise had two better predecessors, and this film has nothing unique or essential to merit a view from the ones who have already seen the better predecessors.
Rating: 3/5 (3 out of 5 Stars)
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