Especially as a prequel to the 2018 smash hit, A Quiet Place: Day One is the definition of a mixed bag. That saddens me partly because it was directed by Michael Sarnoski, whose previous film Pig (his feature debut) I consider to be the best film of the 2020s so far. Sarnoski brings an unmistakable visual prowess to the proceedings, but the proceedings as written by him feel like they were mandated in principle by the studio. There are a bevy of tropes and clichés here that we’ve seen far too many times before, especially for a franchise that has felt fairly fresh compared to most other big-budget horror and science-fiction pictures.
The great Lupita Nyong’o stars as Samira, a native New Yorker in hospice care due to cancer. Nyong’o and Sarnoski find some palatable dark comedy from the fact that Samira is significantly younger than her elderly peers in hospice, but the conceit of randomly throwing a terminally ill character into a previously-established franchise often comes off as hokey, not heartfelt. This is exacerbated by the general trajectory of the overall story, which I won’t spoil, of course, but suffice it to say that it never really takes any turns you can’t see coming.
Predictability is also the name of the game when it comes to how many times the audio-enraged killer aliens respond to the most telegraphed moments of clothes ripping, deep breaths, and misplaced footsteps, no matter how quiet or loud our protagonists or other objects can be. Consider an early moment when Reuben (Alex Wolff, a Sarnoski veteran from Pig), Samira’s nurse, shuts off a noisy generator in the alley behind the theater they’ve taken refuge in. The alien doesn’t come for him because it’s heard the generator, but because of an accidental noise made after Reuben has turned it off. Other instances of similar nonsense include the aliens not responding to the sound of rain or rushing water. These smack of a screenplay that, despite its lack of explicit connection to the other films in the franchise, feels the need to end in a certain spot for no real reason.
A key aspect of the film which doesn’t feel like an afterthought is its visual quality. As a matter of fact, it feels distinctly made to be seen on the big screen, despite its middling story. This film would be an incredible art installation, and I mean that as a major compliment. Sarnoski shows us a New York ravaged by these intergalactic intruders as only he can — it’s lyrical, it’s groundbreaking, and it’s blessedly grungy in its approach to disaster-movie aesthetics. Apart from a few glaring areas where the aftermath of the aliens’ arrival looks absurdly pristine, the set decoration is outstanding, and cinematographer Pat Scola (another Pig holdover) makes great use of negative space and precise camera movement in order to hold us in suspense.
That suspense is what sells this movie and elevates it above and beyond its flaws. The clear eloquence of Sarnoski’s visual filmmaking and his profound attention to timing are what make it hard for me to totally dismiss A Quiet Place: Day One. If nothing else, it will certainly serve as his mainstream calling card, and no matter what, I can’t wait to see what he does in the future. Aliens or not, Sarnoski has proven that his filmmaking is always capable of leaving some kind of meteoric impact. | George Napper
