Reviews for A Quiet Place Part II have begun rolling in. Originally meant to be released in March 2020, the long-awaited horror sequel has faced numerous delays due to the pandemic. Paramount did not budge on their theatrical release strategy, saving the John Krasinski directed movie for when theaters could begin operating at a higher capacity. With the film set to release over Memorial Day weekend, it seems moviegoers may be ready for their first big-budget hit of the summer.
A Quiet Place Part II picks up directly after the events of the first film, with Emily Blunt's Evelyn Abbott, mother of three (including a newborn that will prove extremely difficult to take care of in their soundproof world), leaving the farmhouse that the first film took place in. Krasinski's Lee has been killed by the sound-sensitive alien species that ravaged the family's safe haven and now they must begin their trek in search of a safer life. A Quiet Place Part II's trailers have teased a much more expansive sequel and now critics have begun revealing their thoughts about the highly anticipated film.
So far, the reception has been highly positive, with many critics praising the two-pronged story that follows Blunt's Evelyn and her daughter, Reagan, who is deaf, played by Millicent Simmonds. Critics also praised the introduction of Cillian Murphy's Emmett, a former friend of the Abbot's from before the apocalypse. All-in-all, it sounds like the sequel takes what made the first one successful and adds to it, creating an anxiety-inducing thriller that more than lives up to the franchise's potential before leaving things at an open-ended conclusion that may or may not satisfy viewers. Check out some of the critics' thoughts below:
Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian
It’s a really effective and engrossing followup, with an absolutely sensational “prelude” sequence at the top of the movie, a barnstorming shocker equal to anything in AQP1 - showing the panic and terror that hit Planet Earth when we were initially invaded by these hideous blind beasts whose supersensitive hearing meant that humans could only survive by being silent.
Hoai-Tran Bui, SlashFilm
It’s a dichotomy that makes up most of the movie — is it a horror or a post-apocalyptic adventure? Krasinski frequently rejected the “horror” label for the first A Quiet Place, presumably to make the film more accessible to all audiences, but it might be that he doesn’t have the interest in making a straightforward horror film. In the process, A Quiet Place II falls somewhere in between, with the effective thrills and jump scares of a horror film, but with an overly familiar post-apocalyptic plot that we’ve seen many times before.
Kate Erbland, IndieWire
The conceit that drives this burgeoning franchise — aliens, but they hear really well — makes for effective enough horror and tension, but Krasinski’s very real, very deep affection for the family he has placed in the middle of all this is what seems destined to keep truly growing. As his chops as an action and horror director have only increased, care of those natty set pieces and plenty of real ingenuity, Krasinski hasn’t lost sight of the human drama that makes it all work. Krasinski never meant to be a horror guy, but he’s always known what scares people.
Rodrigo Perez, The Playlist
As an experience, A Quiet Place Part II is still riveting and intense and should check all the boxes for most audiences, especially in the “I just wanna be gripped and entertained” post-pandemic age. For those looking for a little more depth and soul and a movie to fully coalesce in the end? Well, you might have to wait for the next chapter for some true thematic and emotional closure, but still, it’ll be hard to argue this won’t be an escapist thrill for most audiences in theaters, at least.
David Rooney, THR
Taking on solo screenwriting credit in his taut follow-up, director John Krasinski again foregrounds that disorienting premise of a modern world in which noise can get you killed, as the same characters this time desperately struggle to protect one another without their fallen paterfamilias. It’s another breathless chamber piece, expertly crafted to pack dread into every nerve-rattling sound.
Lindsey Bahr, AP
But the reason these films work is not because of the scares. They work because, at their heart, they are a high concept meditation on parenting. Sure, the surprises keep your heart rate up and all that but the true terror, the one that buries itself in your consciousness, comes from that deep, intractable fear of not being able to protect your kids. Many monster movies boldly claim to be about something bigger and rarely are. These films succeed at that.
Angie Han, Mashable
More crucially, Part II earns the promise of a sequel by doing what the best sequels do, striking out in search of new stories instead of settling for retracing its steps. Part II isn't A Quiet Place, but it's an addition worth applauding all the same.
Alonso Duralde, The Wrap
Krasinski assembles a recognizable geography that makes the introduction of an off-shore colony, as well as a band of survivors who look like they just ambled out of The Hills Have Eyes, seem within reach of the Abbotts as they fight both to stay alive and to repel the alien menace. With A Quiet Place Part II, the actor-turned-filmmaker has grown in confidence and skill, creating a sequel that’s at least as riveting if not more so than its predecessor.
Robert Daniels, 812filmreviews
I have no idea what story the director wanted to tell — emotionally or narratively — or what bandwidth, beyond the shared concept, the two movies are meant to connect on. Rather A Quiet Place II is a string of well-placed, smartly created scenarios leveraged for maximum tension that only swings us to the next film. Rather than allowing us to enjoy this one.
Jordan Raup, The Film Stage
In a Hollywood where sequels are mandated to go bigger and expand the I.P. to chase the dollar signs of a cinematic universe, on paper, it is refreshing that Krasinski decided to stay relatively small-scale with the sequel. Yet, in carrying over the narrow scope, the narrative hang-ups of the first outing are only expounded upon here with a rinse-and-repeat blueprint to the stakes that feels all-too-repetitive.
Peter Debruge, Variety
As the helmer’s canvas widens, it becomes even harder to overlook the obvious (like the decision to transport a baby through open spaces), amounting to a cunningly executed thriller that will leave half the audience wondering, “Why didn’t they just do that in the first place?”
Ian Freer, Empire Magazine
A Quiet Place Part II might lack the smarts and novelty of its predecessor but it serves up strong set-pieces, Millicent Simmonds shines and Krasinski remains a director to watch.
A.A. Down, AV Club
A Quiet Place Part II is finely prepared leftovers, still tasty but with a faint staleness cutting into the flavor. The film’s final scenes are both redundant and inconclusive; they hit almost the same note as A Quiet Place’s ending, only this time the ellipsis not only demands but practically promises another installment.
Jacob Oller, Paste Magazine
That leaves A Quiet Place Part II to be a charmingly unambitious, ultimately enjoyable step down of a sequel: A controlled expansion where novelty fades to reveal technical prowess and contempt starts peeking out behind familiarity. Krasinski’s milked this franchise and its gimmicks to provide us with his two best showings behind the camera, but he—like its characters—needs to grow beyond it, or else be trapped as its returns finally disappear entirely.
Courtney Howard, Fresh Fiction
Once again embracing a snappy pace and focus on familial dynamics in a dystopian landscape, the creatively named A Quiet Place Part II earns its place as one of the rare, superb sequels that surpasses its already perfect predecessor. Immersive sound design is again the superstar, but Krasinski, who took on sole writing duties this time around, provides the playground for the incredibly intense, moving, and gripping dramatics that power the picture.
Fortunately, it sounds like for many A Quiet Place Part II doesn't fall into the sophomore slump many highly-anticipated sequels face. While certain viewers' milage may vary, reception to the film seems to be largely positive, even if the film isn't without its flaws. Ultimately, it sounds like the film is the second chapter in a longer saga and with A Quiet Place Part II expected to be a box office hit, fans can rest easy knowing that they'll likely get a third installment that can bring the disparate plot lines to a satisfying conclusion.
Krasinski, too, has seemed to confirm his promise as a burgeoning actor turned director with this latest sequel, proving his work on the first film wasn't a fluke. According to critics, he manages both the large scale action set pieces and the intimate family drama with equal aplomb. Luckily, for those who aren't ready to go to the theater quite yet, A Quiet Place Part II will be hitting Paramount+ 45 days after its theatrical release, so everyone looking for summer thrills will be able to see the highly anticipated sequel after all.
Source: Various (see links above)
