A Quiet Place: Day One is the most powerful chapter in the franchise

Listen, someone must’ve been cutting onions during the screening of A Quiet Place: Day One I attended, because there were a lot of sniffs and tears in the theater. Did I underestimate how impactful and emotional this movie was going to be? Absolutely! More importantly, I underestimated just how much we all need to watch the Quiet Place spinoff.

I’ll be the first to admit that I was skeptical about A Quiet Place: Day One. I felt the same way about the 2020 sequel, A Quiet Place Part II, because I didn’t feel it was needed. I was wrong. And when it comes to being pleasantly surprised by a movie, I love being wrong! I very much enjoyed Part II. Just when I thought the Abbott’s story couldn’t get more emotional, Part II came along to make me cry all over again. The Quiet Place movie franchise isn’t a post-apocalyptic/sci-fi horror, you guys; it is a powerful drama and a necessary journey we must all take to value life and appreciate love. And if the first two movies aren’t enough to prove this, just watch Day One.

Lupita Nyong’o stars as Samira, a terminally ill woman living in a hospice outside the city of New York. In an attempt to cheer up some of his patients, Reuben (Alex Wolff), one of the nurses at the hospice, takes a group to Manhattan to see a play. Before the play is even over, extraterrestrial creatures land outside. It is chaos and mass destruction in the crowded (and oh-so-loud) streets of New York City.

Review: A Quiet Place: Day One

As you may already know, these monsters can’t see, but their ultrasonic hearing more than makes up for their blindness. They can hear everything and are incredibly fast. Sneeze and they will be there by the time you get to the “choo” part.

There are not many places to run and hide, especially after the government destroys every bridge and tunnel. This leaves everyone left in Manhattan stranded. The only way for Samira, her cat Frodo, and her new friend Eric (Joseph Quinn) to get out is via ferry. But first thing’s first: pizza! Samira is determined to enjoy a slice of pizza from Patsy’s Pizzeria before she dies. With Frodo tugged under her arm and Eric present as the most supportive BFF of all time, Samira sets out to Harlem.

If you are familiar with the first two movies, you’ll love the Easter eggs in Day One, including an appearance from Henri (Djimon Hounsou), who hangs around for longer than a cameo, which is nice! Audiences also learn more about the creatures and we get to see them from new, frightening angles.

Lupita Nyong’o and Joseph Quinn are *chef’s kiss* together

We all know Nyong’o is massively talented and has the power to keep audiences wrapped around her finger, bringing us to tears or a fit of laughter at her command. The way she can make us feel all of the emotions through the screen is unreal in the best way. As for Quinn, I’m a huge fan after watching him as Eddie Munson in Stranger Things, another role that left viewers sobbing.

Their chemistry is off the charts, and they work so well together. Nyong’o’s Samira provides the raw emotion that makes the movie, while Quinn's Eric offers light-hearted comedy and strength. Director Michael Sarnoski knew very well what he was doing pairing Nyong’o and Quinn! Well done, sir. 

Sarnoski deserves another round of applause for putting together scenes of sheer terror without using unnecessary gore or over-the-top violence. This isn’t to say we don’t get some incredible action sequences! Since this movie takes place in a city and happens over the first few days of the invasion, we get to witness the destruction and chaos the aliens mercilessly cause, which we don’t get to see in the first two John Krasinski-directed movies.

A Quiet Place: Day One is in theaters June 28, 2024. The movie has a runtime of one hour and 40 minutes and is rated PG-13 for violent content, bloody images, and terror.

A Quiet Place: Day One grade: A 

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