A Quiet Place Part 2 was the highly anticipated sequel to the thrilling and mysterious horror flick brought to the big screen in John Krasinski's directorial debut. The second part dives deeper than the first and had fans exploding with excitement and suspense.
While it isn't often that the sequels to a movie are better than the original, lovers of this series are here to argue against it. With a higher rating on IMDb and a general admiration for it, the newest part might just be all the more memorable and entertaining than the first - and there's a lot of reasons to prove it.
The Flashback Opening Scene
The opening before the title appears might just be the most flawless and suspenseful part of the entire movie. For the first time, viewers are given a flashback to the time before the quiet place and see the day where chaos was unleashed and their small town was plagued by the creatures.
It's an emotional return to Lee's character, and everything is perfectly foreshadowed. From the side-pan shot of the toy rocket ship to the introduction of Emmett's complicated relationship with the Abbotts, this opening scene grabs every viewer's attention.
Introduction Of New Characters
There's something to say about the simplicity of the first movie, but the sequel was refreshing, and it was smart to bring in some fresh faces. Cillian Murphy's Emmett was mysterious, complex, and offered a lot of character growth for himself and for Regan.
There was more to get to know for fans, and the movie managed to still maintain its leading family and not randomly insert new characters into the mix that fans didn't care about. It was an interesting turn of events to have Emmett along.
The Improved Special Effects
The first movie was still impressive, but it's clear to any movie buff that the funding for the sequel allowed the producers to have a lot more creativity with the special effects. For starters, there were a lot more full views and appearances from the creatures.
Of course, the fire explosion and the action scenes were also totally flawless, and fans have no complaints when it comes to any of the special effects in the sequel. That's a pretty great improvement to have in a horror series.
Several Characters Grow
Viewers needed to get to know the Abbott family in the first movie, but their encounters with the creatures took up a majority of the film. In the sequel, there was more time for some actual character development and growth.
Fans got to know Emmett and his background, and watch him accept the Abbott family back into his life. They also got to see Marcus finally face his fears and go head-to-head with the creature, and Regan became a powerful female lead that proved she isn't so much different from her father.
The Emotional Impact
On a similar note, some fans criticized the dialogue and the emotional moments in the first film. For example, Lee's conversation with Marcus about Regan may have fallen a little flat to some viewers. However, the sequel pulled no punches.
The moments between Evelyn and Marcus were pure and bursting with a powerful son and mother connection, while Regan and Emmett both took their own individual journey side by side, and helped each other be at peace with their past.
There's Less Ambiguity
The first movie stirs up a lot of questions. While the mystery and suspense are part of its charm, it's also where viewers might get a bit confused and spent a bit too much time focusing on the logistics than the movie itself.
How did the Abbotts farm such a large land in silence? Did they ever see any other humans? How do the fires work? Have the children never gone downstairs to help Lee think about the creatures? There's a lot of questions that distract from the story. The sequel, however, does a much better job at mitigating this by just offering information up front.
Introduction Of Human Villains
There really are no other humans in the first flick, except for the one old couple that has been taken by the creatures. For an apocalyptic movie, most viewers were wondering where the other people were, how many were left, and what they did.
The sequel offers some polar opposites, from the safe island to the group of people at the docks. However, the introduction of another villain besides the creature was definitely a curveball that was intense and entertaining and kept fans on the edge of their seats.
The Acting Is Even Better
Obviously, most of the actors are the same in the sequel as they are in the first. However, the script and the framing really helped them achieve the great performances of this lovable cast, and it seemed that the second time around, the cast really sunk into their roles.
Regan's actress, Millicent Simmonds, knocked the leading role out of the park and was complemented brilliantly by newcomer, Cillian Murphy. There was more tension and desperation this time around, and the actors nailed their roles.
The Parallels Between Characters
There was nothing more simultaneously poetic or intense than all of the parallels between the characters occurring at the same time. From Emmett and Regan on the boat while Marcus struggled to stay alive with the baby, to the final scene where Regan and Marcus both took out their respective creatures, these scenes worked.
It not only made the viewing experience much more intense and dramatic, but it was beautifully carried out and let fans stay on the edge of their seats while the characters tackled their own challenges and continued on their own adventures - while still being connected.
It's More Thrilling
The entire point of both of these movies is to give viewers thrills. This horror flick is mostly a thriller, and fans are supposed to feel the intensity and stress of all of the characters. While the first never really had any lulls, it was almost a bit too predictable because of it.
On the other hand, the sequel wasn't afraid to hold back for emotional parts and then jump straight back to thrills. From gunshots to bear traps to a creepy little girl to the creatures popping out of nowhere, the thrills in this movie are definitely unmatched.