In the midst of cinematic giants like Marvel’s Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War, an unexpected contender emerged as a box office champion. A Quiet Place, a post-apocalyptic family drama/horror film, quietly ascended to become the second-highest-grossing film of the year, only to be nudged into third place by Infinity War. As of May, its domestic earnings neared $170 million, positioning it close to Get Out’s domestic take and marking it as Paramount’s most profitable film since 2015’s Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation. Unsurprisingly, a sequel was swiftly put into motion.
Directed and co-written by John Krasinski, who stars alongside his real-life partner Emily Blunt, A Quiet Place garnered success through critical acclaim and word of mouth. The film’s appeal lies in its stellar acting, raw suspense, and a poignant exploration of parenthood. However, A Quiet Place is more than just a break from the relentless stream of superhero movies. It resonates deeply with audiences, particularly in the Trump era, by portraying a nuclear family striving to maintain their essence amidst nightmarish circumstances.
A key debate surrounding A Quiet Place is its genre classification. While it features monsters, jump scares, and an apocalyptic threat, it also centers on a moving family conflict, making it feel more like a family drama or a Spielberg-esque adventure. Krasinski himself described it as “a family movie that happens to be scary,” encapsulating what audiences love about the film. As Vox critic Alissa Wilkinson notes, “A Quiet Place isn’t just a jumpy thriller. It’s also the story of parents trying to protect their children from a hostile world.”
Notably, A Quiet Place is the first major post-apocalyptic film of the Trump era that depicts a nuclear family growing closer through crisis, rather than being driven apart. Recent sci-fi and horror films have often used post-apocalyptic narratives to explore extremism’s impact on society, typically through young protagonists. Films like The Girl With All the Gifts, Maze Runner, and 10 Cloverfield Lane have depicted individuals battling against oppressive systems or survivalist environments.
Even films like It Comes at Night, which focused on the tensions between two nuclear families post-apocalypse, framed its horror through the lens of a teen protagonist. It Comes at Night peeled away the “us against the world” mentality to reflect deeper ideological tensions that strain family bonds during social upheaval. This approach is common in horror films, which frequently use nuclear families to generate unease, as seen in Goodnight, Mommy, The Babadook, Mama, and Under the Shadow.
In contrast, A Quiet Place centers on the nuclear family, arguing that family bonds can strengthen and sustain us through crises. This message is particularly resonant in a time of sociocultural tension. While It Comes at Night shows a family fracturing under stress, A Quiet Place offers a hopeful alternative: loving one another, despite conflicts, is how families survive and triumph over disruptive forces.
The timing of A Quiet Place’s release was crucial to its success. Amidst a polarized sociopolitical climate, audiences responded to its message of familial love and unity. The film’s box office success suggests a public yearning for narratives that show families surviving and thriving together, even in the face of apocalyptic threats.
A Quiet Place Part II, released a year after its intended date due to the pandemic, continued the franchise’s success. The sequel, directed by Krasinski, proved to be as effective and tense as the first film. Picking up where the original left off, the Abbott family ventures into the world, facing new dangers while relying on their familial bonds and Regan’s hearing aid as a weapon against the creatures.
Millicent Simmonds shines as the film’s hero, with her character’s determination and grief driving the narrative. Emily Blunt, while still excellent, takes on a more supporting role, allowing Simmonds to take center stage. New addition Cillian Murphy adds depth to the story, though Simmonds remains the standout.
Krasinski’s direction and the film’s use of sound and silence continue to set the series apart. The sequel expands the world of A Quiet Place, maintaining its emotional core while increasing the scale of the story. The film’s sound design, a crucial element of its success, is likely to earn further accolades.
A Quiet Place Part II is a rare genre sequel that lives up to its predecessor, offering a well-acted, well-made, and exciting continuation of the story. Its success at the box office, along with the prequel A Quiet Place: Day One, highlights the franchise’s enduring appeal. Day One, directed by Michael Sarnoski and starring Lupita Nyong’o and Joseph Quinn, opened to an impressive $53 million, surpassing expectations and demonstrating the franchise’s strong fan base.
The success of A Quiet Place: Day One, despite not claiming the top spot from Disney and Pixar’s Inside Out 2, is a testament to the franchise’s popularity. With positive reviews and strong audience reception, the film’s performance underscores the public’s continued interest in the A Quiet Place universe.
In a time when the film industry is still recovering from the pandemic, the success of A Quiet Place and its sequels offers a hopeful sign. The franchise’s focus on family and survival resonates deeply with audiences, providing a compelling alternative to the often nihilistic narratives of other post-apocalyptic films. As the series continues to expand, it remains a beacon of hope and unity in a fractured world.
Source: Vox, Paramount Pictures, AP
