A Quiet Place

Horror is 100% my favourite genre of film, but it is becoming difficult to find a new one with originality AND fear factor. The terrifying notions of The Exorcist and Friday the 13th have been done a million times by now, and most horror release's are a tried and failed gimmick. Despite this, I still love horror films and will pretty much go and see any one with a decent trailer, and I have loved the likes of Get Out and The Witch, both really really scary and released within the last three years. A Quiet Place has made it up there for those with me, in spite of the fact it is still very much reliant on gimmick. 

A Quiet Place harks towards the same sort of storyline as T.E. Shults' It Comes At Night. It is set long into a sort of apocalypse in America, where the country has been forced into turmoil after the taking over of a mysterious creature with super hearing. If you make any sound, it will get you, and It Comes At Night plunges us into this world by the time people have already figured this out. This is the first thing I like about this film- by the time we are introduced this isn't just about the horror, but about the individuals who survive it. 

The film is directed by, and stars, Jim from The Office - John Krasinski, and his wife is played by Emily Blunt. The premise of the film gives you enough of an idea without me having to give any spoilers, but I was really impressed by it, considering this is one of Krasinski's bigger directing roles. The script is very hammy at times, and often the cinematography far too unsubtle. Also I felt like the exposition for the first half hour of the film was getting a bit ridiculous, but by the time shit hits the fan you understand why.

This film's saving grace comes from the horror. Holy crap, it's scary. Monster movies were all the rage back in the 70s, but I haven't seen a creature based horror with such punch in a long time. The importance of silence in the family's struggle means you are insanely tense throughout. The whole cinema reacted in unison, not to cliche jump scares but genuinely scary moments that made your blood run cold. And even more so, the exposition came into play when you were faced with the notion of this family being split up. 

Towards the end it gets a bit cheesy again, and an out of place last shot reminds you that Michael Bay was involved, but all in all I actually loved this film. Not because it was particularly deep or complex, but because it was genuinely scary with good acting (for once). It was refreshing for the damsel in distress to be pregnant and ruthlessly independent, rather than a booby blonde dying in bed with a jock. The kid actors were great, and the cinematography was fitting and effective. And what I loved most is that it is not for the faint hearted. Thank you so much Jim from The Office for making a simple, good old horror, because we've been in a need of a goodun for a while.