A Quiet Place – Film Review

Cast: Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe

Director: John Krasinski

Synopsis: In a desolate post apocalyptic future, creatures that hunt based on sound are roaming killing anything that makes a sound, one family must live in absolute silence in order to survive…

Review: If one were to somehow measure the decibel level of Planet Earth, one would imagine that it would likely be quite loud. As a species, it would be fair to say that humanity makes quite a lot of noise as we live our day-to-day lives. Therefore to live in a post-apocalyptic world where making even the slightest of peeps will likely be a fatal mishap, seems an extremely daunting prospect. For one family dwelling in a desolate US city, this is a predicament they find themselves in.

It is 2020, and with many of humanity presumed to have suffered a terrible fate at the hands of our nameless antagonists, we meet the Abbott family who are desperately fighting to stay alive in this dire situation. As well as directing and writing, Krasiniski stars as Dad Lee, and Mum Evelyn (played by real life wife Emily Blunt), and their children Regan (Simmonds) and Marcus (Jupe).

We are thrown right in the thick of this crisis, and with a mere few shots and not a single line of dialogue, it becomes crystal clear that this world is a terrifying place to inhabit. It is a brave choice to have pretty much no dialogue for the first half of your film. In so doing, the film relies on sound to convey the imminent danger facing the family, and thanks to some sterling work from the sound department, that danger posed by these ghastly monsters is almost instantaneously, and brutally, established.

Don’t. Make. A. Sound….

The post-apocalyptic world is a very familiar scenario for sure, but the screenplay, written by Krasinski, along with Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, gives the film a very unique and fresh feel to it. To say it is suspenseful, would be quite the understatement. The world that these characters are inhabiting is an extremely tough situation in which to try and stay alive. Consequently, right from the very first shot the tension begins to build, and despite a few lapses, the tension remains high throughout.

To write, direct and play a lead role in the film is a lot of work but Krasiniski does all three to wonderful effect. Equally terrific, as she almost always tends to be, is Blunt as his wife. Their chemistry is very strong, which isn’t surprising given they’re married in real life! What’s equally strong is the relationship they have with their children, the standout of whom is Millicent Simmonds as their deaf daughter, the fact that the actress herself is deaf adds a great deal of authenticity to this story of one family’s struggle to survive.

It is not easy to convey fear and every other emotion without making a sound but all of the family members pull it off tremendously well. Krasiniski might be best known for his comedic acting chops, but his direction is meticulous in its execution. Every time one of our family find themselves in danger, the tension is racketed up a few levels and the audience feels that as they watch these characters desperately try to survive. In addition, the score provided by Marco Beltrami also plays its part to help build that tension.

Though it is a little slow in the initial stages, the film manages to be a very innovative piece of horror/thriller cinema, all while racketing up the tension without a great deal of dialogue being uttered, an achievement well worth shouting about, just not in this world.

A simple premise, but one that feels refreshingly original and excruciatingly tense almost from the first shot, with excellent performances across the board. Whisper it quietly, but we might just see future ventures into this genre from Krasinski.

Ant-Man and the Wasp – Film Review

Cast: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Hannah John-Kamen, Judy Greer, Michael Peña, Laurence Fishburne, Michelle Pfeiffer

Director: Peyton Reed

Synopsis: With Scott Lang (Rudd) still under house arrest, Hope van Dyne (Lilly) and her father Hank Pym (Douglas) believe that they may have uncovered a clue as to how retrieve Hope’s mother from the Quantum realm…

Review: Sometimes you have to wonder, is Marvel intentionally picking on the smallest hero they have to follow and pick up the pieces in the wake of a cinematic juggernaut? It was 2015, when we were first introduced to Scott Lang, and his chance encounter that led him to becoming the titular hero, all while following in the wake of Age of Ultron. Now three years later, and the torch is once again passed to Ant-Man once again who must step up, in the aftermath of the earth-shattering events of Infinity War.

However, as was the case in 2015, turning attentions on its smallest (and sometimes biggest) hero provides a much welcome comic relief that helps lighten the mood. We find Scott, after running away to join Cap in Civil War has consequently been put under house arrest. However, his quantum realm foray in the last film triggers a potential lead to Hope’s mother, long since believed to be lost there several decades ago. Scott finds himself teaming up with Hank and Hope once again in a bid to find her. All the while, new threats emerge hoping to steal some of Pym’s rather fantastic tech for their own mischievous purposes.

**You all look like insects from this height…**

The film does follow its predecessor in a lot of ways, not least of which is how zany it is. Same universe though it may be, it feels like it is another world away from the likes of Black Panther. The story is also similar, lots of chit-chat about ants, as well as some science-y lingo and of course, as you would expect at this point from Marvel, lots of humour. When you have an actor well known for his comedic chops like Paul Rudd as your leading man, you know that you’re going to get a charismatic and funny performance, and once again Rudd delivers exactly that.

Evangeline Lilly and Michael Douglas are also on excellent form once more, with the former finally able to get her wings as the new Wasp and take some bad guys down. Though not all of the humour works unfortunately, Michael Pena’s very funny flashbacks from the first film are once again called upon, but this time it feels a bit forced for the sake of an extra laugh or two.

What Edgar Wright would have brought to this franchise, we will almost certainly never know. Nevertheless, Peyton Reed proved he was an assured choice to direct the first film and once again, he directs the action sequences with a zippy energy that keeps the plot moving along at a steady pace. However while it should keep the attention throughout, there is nothing here that will likely stick in the mind of the audiences once we hit the credits. The story does try to have a more personal edge to it, but this again is a bit hit-or-miss. And while there is an attempt to flesh out chief villain Ghost (John-Kramen), she does unfortunately fall into the category of somewhat disposable MCU villains, likewise for Walton Goggin’s smarmy businessman.

For the most part, the film stands on its own two feet (or should that be wings). It is an undeniable blast of colourful and fun insect sized entertainment, there is nothing here to leave a lasting impression. As for where it stands in relation to the seismic events of Infinity War, make sure you stick around for the mid credit scene, as that is one that is likely to have a very significant impact for MCU films to come.