A Quiet Place Part II

Although it lacks some of the wow-effect of the first film, A Quiet Place Part II is a worthy continuation of a story in which the slightest noise can have fatal consequences. In many ways, this sequel copies the plot of the first one and borrows functional motifs, but it doesn't get boring and manages to be tense and even scare decently in places. John Krasinski has explained a little bit the appearance and characteristics of the monsters, and I firmly hope that we will see a third part in which this issue would be resolved to the last "shudder". I understand that some viewers may criticize the film for a flatter story without breathtaking plot twists, but once again, it worked for me, especially in the opening with the arrival of the monsters, and just as well in the final interlude of three mini-sequences. PS: If it isn’t a nail, it’s a bear trap. (11/06/2021)

This movie is a very solid sequel which while is mostly just a variation on the theme established by the first installment, it is still very engaging and does not really have dull moments. Cillian Murphy was an excellently chosen addition to the cast. In the end, however, I do have to admit that I was shaking my head in disbelief at some of the behavior of the characters in this movie, even though I could accept their somewhat questionable decisions in the first installment. (27/07/2021)

The directing goes for broke in the suspenseful nature of the scenes, as if serving up groundbreaking genre events. But it actually doesn’t offer any such thing (except for the original idea of muting the sound in the case of the deaf girl) and rather takes inspiration from elsewhere (the cinematography showcase in the great opening scene along the lines of Spielberg’s War of the Worlds). The film’s main problem, however, is the even greater contrast between the superb visual execution and the goofiness of the screenplay than in the first film. Part II lacks the basic cleverness and common logic of experienced, thoughtful screenwriters. And by boosting the suspense with interesting visuals enveloped in so much silliness, its makers (unwittingly) confess to their own myopic, would-be creative sophistication, which is almost laughable in places. (03/08/2021)

Almost as simple and straightforward, but with more substantial and over-the-top moments, which the first film mostly lacked or was in a slightly different, more intimate spirit. Some things are interestingly portrayed (the island, the harbour outcasts), but it woefully lacks any explanation of "where, how, why". We also don’t get to know anything about the monsters, it’s again a survival flick with family values, but wonderfully shot, with some sensational camera work without editing, which pulls it upwards. (07/07/2021)

It is an unavoidable fact that A Quiet Place Part II cannot step into the same river as its phenomenal predecessor. The filmmakers are very well aware of this and thus don’t even try. In terms of plot, the sequel proceeds from what the first film established and then builds on it. The first one worked brilliantly with limited space, inventively imagined the world and its laws and, mainly, worked with sound as a means of expression, drama, storytelling and dramaturgy. Though it still adheres to the basic concept of the series, Part II uses sound to build tension within individual scenes, but the role of the central formalistic medium from which the film’s dramaturgy and narrative are derived is taken over by editing. Throughout the second half of the film, Krasinski maintains the suspense almost exclusively through parallel montages, but he also uses editing to gradually open up the post-apocalyptic world. The editing and, in a broader sense, the composition of the film and what it shows the audience, what it leaves out and what it leaves to the imagination, shows Krasinski to be not only a filmmaker with exquisite command of his craft, but also a creator capable of thinking in cinematic form. This ability elevates his films above the classic genre standard and places them alongside the best horror movies of the new millennium. Most other prominent genre filmmakers, such as Ari Aster, Robert Eggers and Jordan Peele, base their distinctiveness on visual stylisation and the strength of the screenplay. With Krasinski, we see a unique symbiosis of original high concept and the use of essential filmmaking techniques to achieve the maximum effect. Krasinski’s method of ratcheting up the tension reaches its full potential only in the cinema – with surround sound, a big screen and ambient darkness in which 130 people hold their breath all at once – and the sequel also proves to be an exceptionally effective machine for physically intense sensations (though it lacks the wow effect and spatial and conceptual density of the first film). This makes one even more aware of how modestly the filmmakers actually work with scares and, conversely, rely primarily on carefully prepared and escalating situations derived from well-thought-out Hitchcockian construction of the narrative and set design. Though I am generally not a fan of sequels, because they rarely offer anything original, in the case of the A Quiet Place series, I actually hope that a third instalment will be made. I want to see how Krasinski will pick up the gauntlet that he himself has thrown down and what cinematic means of expression he will choose as his weapon of choice. (12/06/2021)