I once heard that the most important part of any good Sci-Fi film is to make the story human. Whatever threat the characters are facing in their world should act as a background to their narrative. I think that same rule can be applied to horror movies and my god does ‘A Quiet Place’ do it well.
One of the things that made this movie so engaging was the way in which the family communicated with each other. They spoke through sign language and occasionally quiet whispers most of the time and only spoke at a normal volume when there was a louder sound that could drown them out. There were marks painted on the floorboards where it was quietest to step and wool was used to make Monopoly pieces. Their communication and their relationship with each other was vital to surviving in this world.
The actor’s were amazing at conveying that bond. So much of their performance was reliant on their facial expressions, which made the emotional moments so much more touching and the scarier parts way more intense.
Millicent Simmonds, the actress who played the eldest daughter who is deaf in the film is also deaf herself, so she had a lot of personal experience to draw from for the character. It really showed in her performance, definitely would love to see more of her in the future! The fact that the cast and crew learnt sign language to further communicate with her is so amazing and it really helped all of them create a bond with each other off camera that showed through on screen. I thought the actors had really great chemistry and I completely believed they were a family.
What also added to the experience of this film was how dead silent the theatre was. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a movie theatre that quiet before, the atmosphere was so tense. This is for sure a movie you want to see on the big screen.
Overall, I really enjoyed ‘A Quiet Place.’ I loved that it was so centred around the family and their relationship and even though it was a horror movie it still managed to make me emotional in some scenes. Definitely a favourite of 2018!
Reviews By Quinn 