A Quiet Place: Day One

I mention all this to say that anyone coming in cold to A Quiet Place will not understand the charm and appeal of the franchise. If you go back to the first film, its story was about the Abbott family. In fact, you really didn’t see the aliens until the end. Audiences got to know the family, their predicament, and the resourcefulness required to survive. The second film then extended their story sans the father.

The problem with Day One is that it’s about the aliens and how they got here. Sure, by giving Samira a fatal disease, we have the shorthand for sympathy. Shorthand, though convenient, never gets us to care for a character as deeply as they do. In other words, the stakes for our characters are not high enough.

“…highlighted the importance of breaking down all identity barriers for the sake of human connection.”

There are a few plotholes that undermine the human story. First, that damn cat Frodo. Cat people will love Frodo and everything he does in the movie. For us dog people, we will get frustrated that the cat almost gets a room full of people killed and becomes unnecessary baggage along the way. Also, as a dog person who has a cat, the cat does so many things dogs naturally do; it doesn’t seem natural. When a character (the cat) almost gets you killed or has the potential to summon an alien by making a wrong move, and you don’t acknowledge this folly, the stakes in the film now are not high enough.

The second is this trip for pizza. Without spoiling much, let’s just say that this impulsive decision to get pizza costs someone their life, and if that person had not offered to accompany Sam on this journey, this person would still be alive. Sure, Sam feels bad for a moment, but then again, we have to get that pizza. Stakes!!!

I really appreciated the connection between Samira and Eric. The final scene between the two of them was so heartfelt. After being in lockdown for over a year, it highlighted the importance of breaking down all identity barriers for the sake of human connection.

A Quiet Place: Day One failed to capture what we loved about the original films and instead decided to focus too much of its time on a rollercoaster ride of an alien invasion. Fun is fun, but without proper character development, Day One is more fast food than a hearty meal.