WICKERMOSS: [FILM REVIEW] A QUIET PLACE (2018)

[FILM REVIEW] A QUIET PLACE (2018)

W A R N I N G

*Spoilers ahead*

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A QUIET PLACE a straightforward horror film that tackles mainly one thing - silence means survival. True enough, the film was successful in emitting that intense fear of breaking the rules of "silence."

A riveting story of a family in an apocalyptic state - they're in the middle of nowhere. They have to survive an alien invasion - monsters that hunt on sound. Weakness? They're blind. Librarians in their past lives maybe?

The sound design is impeccable, Krasinsky is a smart guy behind the camera; knowing where and when to attack its audience. His style is unique - the mix of visuals and sound evoke fear from anyone who watches it. I can't believe it's actually his first foray into directing. This film will make you feel that the cast actually belong to one real family.

They're relatable - unlike other horror flicks that concentrate on a child being possessed, this movie is a jawbreaker.

I adore horror films but this one literally gave me an enormous headache. Incomparable to the tense I felt when I've watched The Shining or even Saw. Let me tell you, that nail poking out of a wooden staircase was no joke. Just thinking of who or how it'd hurt someone is enough to cause me a migraine.

I feel like hammering it myself in the middle of the film. GAH.

The more helpless I felt with that grain or corn silo scene. The aircon in the cinema was in full blast but my puddle of sweat states the opposite.

I'M GUESSING THIS FILM ONLY HAD A FEW PAGES OF WRITTEN SCRIPT. With that, I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT THE SIGN language is much harder to memorize

- let alone raw emotions to propel on screen.

The jolts of terror and suspense this film bring is one of a kind - perhaps because we actually felt for the family, no wait. We actually loved each and every character of this film. They were just like what, 5 or 6? Less than 10 characters, seriously?

Emily Blunt's presence is just as phenomenal and scary just like the monsters. With scary -I was referring to her acting. She's perfect - from her The Devil Wears Prada debut to stardom to now, this. Emily's acting is cathartic- wait til you see her bathtub scene. Oh did I mention she was about to give birth on that same tub?

With every impeding danger, each scene becomes painful to watch. Yet you don't wanna close your eyes, the more you're glued to your seat. The entire cast was superb - watch out for Regan (the deaf daughter, who's actually deaf in real life). We can actually see a horror film on a different perspective.

One could just imagine how these actors did it so well - imagine a film without a sound or dialogue? It reduces the pace and tension but somehow the cast pulled it off so well with their great acting skills - the facial expressions, the twitch, the blocking, everything they had to do to make them believably imperil.

This film is indeed full of surprises. Just when you thought making a sound will be the end of you , wait til you reach the film's pivotal point - Emily Blunt's character gets a bump. A baby bump. She got pregnant and the suspense heightened up.

If there were pitfalls in this film? Perhaps it's much better if they've shown a little history of how these predators came about. It'd give the audience enlightenment on what brings all these precarious situation that the characters lived in.

A QUIET PLACE stretches its horizons from being a 'near-silent' film to a smorgasbord of incessant suspense. Feast on visually elegant scenes, a feisty cycle of fear and extreme gritty emotions from the characters to boot. Gripping all the way through. Skip the popcorn and nail-bite for a mere 90 minute or so.

Just a tip: Don't BLINK. Don't even attempt to. And don't bring a bucket of popcorn or nachos nor dare to sip on that soda. I saw odd stares a.k.a if-looks-could-kill from every corner of the cinema I was in. There was even a guy who purposely shook his popcorn box so loud and got a whaaack from his girlfriend. Yup, the whaaack made a sound. Apparently, the couple got out alive.