Film Journal 2024: A Quiet Place: Day One

Film Journal 2024: A Quiet Place: Day One
Directed by Michael Sarnoski

I have a feeling once the clutter clears from the very real tension that exists between the film I expected this to be and the film it ultimately ends up being, that it will grow even more in my appreciation for it.

The tension surfaces in the simple fact that this prequel veers decisively away from building out the mythology or offering anything new to the larger narrative, and towards crafting its own stand alone narrative. Within this tension are two essential observations. First, the stand alone narrative is really strong taken  simply on it’s own terms. Second, by distancing itself from the larger mythology, be it in tone or progression, the whole “no talking” motif, arguably the driving force and defining mark of this franchise, becomes little more than a plot device , and one that is barely even explained or established within the scope of the prequels story.

A caveat to this point would be noting the films intention towards overlaying the motif of sound and noise onto a specific metaphor concerning New York life and culture. It becomes a way of saying something about the busyness of the city, ultimately allowing the specific story of the films main character, Sam, played with a distinct vulnerability by the wonderful Nyong’o, to say something about finding life in the face of death through her relarionship to the noise and sounds of the city (the film does a nice job of trying this to a sensory experience surrounding nostalgia and memory as well).

There is a sense in which I can see a definable three film arc however, in the movement from the family centric focus of the first film to the community and societal centric view of the second. If it seemed natural to move to a global perspective in the third installment, perhaps it would also feel natural to dial things back to a singular person perspective in a prequel.

As I mentioned above, even if it doesn’t function entirely cohesively as a Quiet Place film, the attention Sarnoski gives to character, story and theme nevertheless do the hard work of establishing this as a necessary and worthwhile entry in the franchise as a whole. Its worth pointing out that it’s far more dialed back and patient than some might expect, saturating the dramatic set pieces with quiet reflection  and some genuinely beautiful human moments. The action that we do get are really well shot, although I might argue it could have stripped even a little bit more of that out still and been a better and tighter film for it. But that would be a very minor criticism, and I do think some audience members might end up leaning in the opposite direction and find this too sparse and meditative overall. If anything, one of the outcomes of the whole “be quiet” motif taking a back seat to a stand alone story is that the way we experience the film shifts as well. So how you feel about it will probably depend on how much give yourself over to the experience that is there, one that is anchored in a personal journey of real transformation.

I really liked this one on first watch. I think I might like it even more on rewatch. There are many moments that are still sticking with me, and as it stands, it is definitely a welcome return to a familiar world, just from a slightly different perspective.