Emily Blunt and her husband John Krasinski (who also directs) star as Evelyn and Lee Abbott, a married couple living on a secluded farm in upstate New York. It’s Day 89—after most of the world has been decimated by an alien invasion by hideously hungry creatures who detect their prey by super-sensitive sound. Knowing that silence is absolutely essential to survival, the Abbotts, always barefoot and alert, are determined to protect their three young children: Beau (Cade Woodward), Regan (Millicent Simmonds), and Marcus (Noah Jupe). Regan is deaf, so they communicate primarily through sign language with only occasional whispers. Amid the constant peril, Lee is desperately trying to locate other survivors and devise an effective hearing-aid for Regan. As time goes on, Evelyn must cope with the complications of pregnancy, including planning to make use of a soundproofed barn bunker for the birth and a tiny oxygen mask to stifle the newborn’s cries. But things don’t often go as planned in this nightmare scenario, where stepping on a rusty nail can prove as deadly as an explosive device. It’s a tour de force for Krasinski, who cleverly employs the absence of sound to intensify relentless terror, resulting in an eerie, angst-ridden, and totally different kind of creature feature. Recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include a “Creating the Quiet” behind-the-scenes featurette with director/star John Krasinski (15 min.), and the production segments “The Sound of Darkness” (12 min.) and “A Reason for Silence” (8 min.). Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are bonus DVD, UltraViolet, and digital copies of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a smart and effective horror film.] (S. Granger)
A Quiet Place
Paramount, 90 min., PG-13, DVD: $30.99, Blu-ray/DVD Combo: $39.99, July 10 Volume 33, Issue 4
A Quiet Place
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