Review: A Quiet Place Part II review is a horrifyingly silent masterpiece

A Quiet Place Part II manages to surpass expectations and gives viewers an experience as memorable and horrifying as its predecessor.

A Quiet Place Part II is coming out after getting delayed for over a year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Originally meant to release on March 20, 2020, fans are finally going to witness the follow-up to the 2018 silent horror film that made us fear the slightest sound.

And getting to watch the sequel earlier this week, I am happy to report that writer and director John Krasinski has upped the ante tenfold. Who would have thought that goofy ‘ol Jim Halpert from The Office would one day go on to make such masterpieces?

The sequel rewinds time back to the very first day the blind monsters with super-hearing descended on Earth and forever changed the lives of the Abbott family. There’s something enticing about learning the origins of a story, especially one that precedes the silent chaos of something like A Quiet Place.

However, this time around, Krasinski’s monsters aren’t the central focus of the story. Instead, it’s about the survival of the remaining members of the Abbott family. Evelyn (Emily Blunt), Marcus (Noah Jupe), and Regan (Millicent Simmonds) must figure out how to continue living after the cliffhanger from the first film.

Armed with a method to kill these monsters (or at least render them useless), the family must figure out how to use their knowledge on a grander scale. Regan is especially invested in this mission, and it’s a thrill to watch Simmonds thrive in the sequel because her talent knows no bounds. There’s a new maturity to her performance and she dominates every scene she’s in.

The concept of sound being the barrier between life and death is such an intriguing concept. Everyone is dependent on everyone around them not to make a noise, putting their lives in each other’s hands. Krasinski does a phenomenal job of keeping this tension alive in the second installment.

This fear of sound continues even feels like it reaches out of the screen, as I tried my darndest to stay absolutely silent during the film. It’s all part of the fun. And I’m so glad that Krasinski opted to wait to release the film until everyone could go back to the movies, where we can be quiet together.

A Quiet Place Part II builds upon its predecessor to give us a broader view of what this world has become after over two years of hiding from the monsters. The addition of Cillian Murphy as Emmett, the Abbotts’ former neighbor, is genius and underlines the idea that community still matters in this messed-up world.

As for the main cast, Krasinski’s real-life wife Emily Blunt leads the charge, and she’s as magnificent as ever. I don’t think there’s a role out there that she can’t do, and she shines as the matriarch of her family. That protective mama bear instinct comes so naturally to Blunt, who is a mother to two daughters of her own with Krasinski. She can convey tenderness with her family and also grit when she has to face down the monsters.

As you make plans to return to the movies, let it be known that A Quiet Place Part II is the perfect thing to ease you back. You’ll be horrified, you’ll be jumping out of your seat, and you’ll gasp at the awe of Krasinski’s talents to make silence a thing to fear. The sequel has it all. It’ll make you remember that silence is a commodity that is often hard to come by in the world, but in the world of A Quiet Place Part II you’d do best to just shut up.

Or else.

To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.

Get HBO, Starz, Showtime, and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels