2021 Summer Movie Season - A Quiet Place Part II: Review & Analysis

 Step by Step. Sequel to 2018 Sleeper Hit Effectively Pushes World and Characters Forward!!!!!

Review By: Brandon Porter

Viewing Method: In Theaters

Silence is survival. Family is formidable. But is it enough? 

Story Description

It’s no longer safe at the Abbott household. Evelyn Abbott (Emily Blunt) and her 2 children Regan (Millicent Simmonds) and Marcus (Noah Jupe) find themselves alive but scarred by the aftermath of an attack by the deadly creatures responsible for the deaths of both Evelyn’s dead son Beau and her husband Lee (John Krasinski). With more to come and with a newborn baby who would be easy prey, Evelyn makes the hard decision to leave her home with her kids to seek allies and shelter beyond their confines. Their journey takes them to the ruins of the city where they find more people and more creatures. Determined to survive, Evelyn and her family must rely on each other to withstand the siege of the sound-sensitive creatures and a new threat that could prove much more deadly. 

Film Review

A Quiet Place was one of the biggest surprise hits of 2018. Its original concept, engaging story, and tense-filled sequences made the film a nerve-racking thriller from start to finish. Now, returning director John Krasinski is finally ready to reunite audiences with the Abbott family in the next installment of the horror hit. The stakes are higher and the scale is larger in what aims to be the start of a very promising return to prominence for the summer box office. After witnessing Part 2 of this post-apocalyptic survival story, I'm pleased to say this series continues the story effectively in all the right ways. The first film was solely focused on the dynamic of the Abbott family, Part II takes the surviving members of the first film and thrust them and the audience into unknown territory. What follows is a film that has the tension and suspense of the first but with an added action element with welcome sprinkles of character development and world-building. To start, the performances across the board are fantastic. John Krasinski is really doing a great job of utilizing the strength of his actors and getting the appropriate emotion out of them. Cillian Murphy is a welcome stand-in for John Krasinki's character that was killed in the first film. He portrays a man who has lost all his hope and isn't sure if he wants to be trusted with safeguarding someone's life again. His chemistry with the veterans of the first film makes him complex and you root for him to find purpose in his life again given what he has lost. Emily Blunt continues to command the screen as widow Evelyn. She wears the weight of being the glue that holds the family together so effortlessly and it just speaks volumes to her as a leading lady. 

Evelyn and her children face a world unknown, ravaged,
and with no help in sight.

The biggest standouts this go around are Noah Jupe and Millicent Simmonds. Both of these young actors did well in Part I but both make terrific strides in their sophomore outing. Simmonds in particular is really coming into her own as an actress. Like Blunt, there are moments where she has to carry entire sequences and she does it with conviction and with such grace. She terrifically displays Reagan's conviction. fear, stubbornness, and vulnerability allowing her to really shine through the screen. While the first film was an introduction for her as an actress, this film showcases she is more than capable of being a leading lady for years to come. Noah Jupe also gets a ton of credit for the way he carries himself in the film as well. The movie gives us a bigger glimpse into why this character is the way he is. Marcus is nothing like his father, mother, or even sister. He is fearful, apprehensive, and unsure of himself as someone capable of protecting himself or his loved ones. Over the course of the film, however, his arc transforms him into someone willing to put his life on the line for those he loves. It's an arc that may take a couple of views to appreciate but seeing character growth like that is always a welcome sign for a film's growing narrative. 

In case of an emergency, run like hell!!!

The most significant change from the first installment is the added scope and scale of the film. Taking the family out of their home and to the outside world is a narrative choice that sounds obvious to most, but few directors know how to utilize this creative choice to its full advantage. Luckily, Krasinski can do this effectively while also adding context to the world his characters inhabit. The movie opens the world up not a whole lot but enough to keep you asking questions about the state of the world and who's alive or dead or who is a friend or foe. This film additionally cranks up the action while still delivering that nerve-inducing suspense and tension that made Part I such a standout. From the jump, the movie delivers big on how fast things turned for the world and though it might not be as emotionally gut-wrenching as its predecessor's opening sequence it is still a thrilling start to the second installment. The one thing I will say is that Part II's length is both a strength and a weakness for several reasons. One strength is that because both Part 1 & 2 are under an hour and forty minutes, it requires Krasinski to be continuously focused on the important parts narrative leaving no room for any subplots that could drag the story down. That said, this does lead to both movies ending abruptly leaving myself and audiences yearning for more. The film does the job and does it well but it will probably take a third installment to really solidify the identity of this rightfully wonderfully crafted IP. All in all, A Quiet Place Part II pushed the story and its characters forward while also expanding the world and delivering context to the chaos within it. This is slowly becoming a very unique series of films in the horror genre that offers welcome uniqueness while delivering stress-inducing tension and terror. Here is hoping the momentum continues as we learn more about this world where silence is key to staying alive. 

Rating and Final Thoughts

A tension-filled sequel that rightfully expands the world and pushes its characters forward in ways
that add context to the world they inhabit. 
 

Eyes ahead or you're dead!!!

Re-Porter Blog SMS 2021: Special Post

 

    Hey followers. Hope everyone is prepared for the summer movie season to kick off tomorrow. While there is a lot of anticipation in the air for the movies on the way, the fact still remains that the COVID-19 pandemic is still very much an issue that still plagues the industry. To be clear, all signs are pointing to us getting out of the pandemic soon given how many people are getting vaccinated. It will be awesome to sit in a movie theater again and experience the thrill of the theatrical experience after a year where those moments were few and far between. 

Camila Cabello and Chris Pratt had movies that were set to hit theaters this summer.
They will now forgo a theatrical release and premiere exclusively on Amazon Prime.

Speaking on just the summer movie season, the 2020 pandemic's impact on this year's season can not be overstated. A number of films that were supposed to release last year are finally seeing the light of day but with conditions that range from fair to less than enthused. HBO Max has offered up its entire library of 2021 titles on both the service and in theaters. The decision has been met with pushback mainly from filmmakers who intend to have their creative visions experienced on a big screen. In addition to that, there are other movies that will be skipping theater entirely and premiere exclusively on streaming. Films like The Tomorrow War starring Chris Pratt and the latest retelling of Cinderella starring Camila Cabello were looked at as potential box office draws. Now they will both make their debut on Amazon Prime forgoing any potential theatrical foothold. Pixar is also getting this when it releases its new film Luca exclusively on Disney + the second time this has happened since last year's Soul. While we are talking about Disney +, the service's new Premier Access feature will be getting quite the workout with three of Disney's in-house studios releasing films in both theaters and on the platform. From my perspective, the option is great for those who still are apprehensive about driving to the cineplex. On the other hand, giving the option to stream at home hurts any potential chances of making a splash at the box office. That could spell trouble for some of the big-time flicks on the horizon that will premiere on streaming services and theaters simultaneously. 

Luca is the second film from Pixar to debut exclusively on Disney +
following in the footsteps of the sudios' last film Soul.

The box office took a significantly large hit last year with no film really making a big splash with the pandemic in its most potent stage. The only significant release during summer 2020 was Christopher Nolan's action-thriller Tenet. Despite its large scale and scope, it never really jump-started the industry like many had hoped. That seems to be changing this year with several films already making huge strides in reinvigorating the box office like Godzilla vs Kong in late March and even F9, set to release in a little under a month here in the states, already raking in significant revenue following its premiere overseas. 

Despite not yet releasing in the US, F9 has a terrific overseas haul that could be 
a welcome sign for the film's domestic release and others that follow.

Speaking on some of the big releases set to hit this summer, they will be looked at to lift the domestic box office from the ashes. Momentum from the early part of the year has shown that progress is being made. But the wounds of a brutal financial drought are still a long way from being healed. Hope does come in the form of films like A Quiet Place Part II, F9 The Fast Saga, Black Widow, and The Suicide Squad just to name a few. These movies could be just what is needed to steer the industry in the right direction as work beings to try and pick up the pieces. 

The MCU's anticipated return to the big screen will be headlined 
by Black Widow and the debut of newest hero Shang-Chi.

Overall, uncertainty is still a huge factor when it comes to this topic. But I will say that the mere fact we are even having discussions about summer movies in the theater again is a welcome sign regardless. I look forward to being back in that sanctuary of escapism again and this time, I vow to never take it for granted again. Welcome back to the movies everyone. It's been too long.