Starting the 'Quiet Place' franchise with 'Day One' | Film Review

It's been a while since I did a review, but I'm back to review A Quiet Place: Day One. This is my first film from the Quiet Place franchise that I've ever seen so it's kind of fitting that I start this franchise with the prequel. I definitely plan to watch the other films soon, but as for this review, it's strictly about Day One. As always, I want to make you aware that there will be spoilers in this review, so keep that in mind if you want to continue reading, but I'm really excited to talk about this film, so let's get started.

Quiet Place: Day One cast | Photo: Paramount Pictures

As previously stated, this is my first Quiet Place film, so going into this film, all I knew was that the characters had to be quiet in order to survive. But because I attended an opening day fan event, I learned a little bit more about the franchise from quiz questions shown before the movie. I learned that the creatures that invade and attack are called death angels. I also learned that Djimon Hounsou reprises his role from the other films, so with this being a prequel and learning a few facts about the franchise, I felt pretty good going into the film.

Fan event screening poster | Photo: Bianca/Write 'n' Roll

Also, movie goers were given some pretty cool limited edition posters which show New York City in the shape of an audio waveform. I think it's a really great use of marketing, but getting back on track to the actual film, it starts with a note that the average sound level in New York City is 90 decibels, also described as a constant screen. With that being said, let's start with the audio in this film.

In my opinion, audio is one of the coolest aspects of filmmaking is audio. It's more than just dialogue and music. Audio includes every single detail you hear in and out of the frame, and in this film, you really have no choice but to emphasize that. So every single footstep, the writing on the notepad, the loud helicopters and the sounds of the death angels, every single sound that we heard or maybe barely noticed, all play an important part in creating this tense, apocalyptic world.

The sound effects all sound pretty natural. Now don't get me wrong. This is a sci-fi film, so of course the death angels don't actually exist, but by natural, I mean the sound effects don't sound bad. I'm sure we've all heard some bad sound effects in a film or TV show before, but that's not the case for this film. Even the jump scare moments and the abrupt loud sounds to scare you work for this film.

Finally, I just want to say shout-out to the sound designers because their jobs can really make or break a film, from the loud or whispered dialogue. I think it all worked really well for this film.

Now let's move on to the visuals. Like many end-of-the-world films, we see how much the world that we once knew has changed. It starts off as a regular day for many of our characters. Our main character, Sam, is staying at a hospice center with her service cat, Frodo. It's very clear she doesn't want to be there. A little later on, one of the hospice care workers gets a group together for an outing. Sam really doesn't want to go, but she's willing to go for some pizza. They go to a theater, and Sam isn't pleased to find out it's for a puppet show. She steps out for a bit, and on the way back, she is notified that the plans have changed and they urgently need to get back, which means no pizza. As everyone is getting back on the bus, the invasion happens. And just like that, that loud, busy street is full of panic, destruction, and chaos.

Even when Sam is knocked unconscious and later wakes up in the same theater, you see the destruction of the aftermath from the invasion, and as the movie progresses, it reveals things that you tend to see in apocalypse films: destroyed means of transportation, fires and explosions, blood covering surfaces, flooded area,s and the stars themselves, the death angels.

Some memorable moments from this film, I got to start with Frodo bringing Sam and Eric together. Of course, Frodo is Sam's service cat, but when Eric's character is first introduced, he's in shock and notices Frodo. He follows Frodo to Sam. Still in shock, Eric starts following Sam, who is telling him to stop and to go to the evacuation point, but it's clear, Eric genuinely doesn't know what to do in this situation. So Sam gets home, it's pouring rain, and Sam is locked out. So they have to kick the door down, which brings me to another memorable moment. I love how Sam waited a few seconds after the lightning flashes to give Eric the clear to kick the door, which took multiple attempts before they got in.

Also, Sam and Eric taking the opportunity to scream during the thunderstorm was pretty fun. I really liked that part. That part was enough to crown Lupita Nyong'o a scream queen.

I also really liked Eric and Sam's quick friendship. They'd escaped multiple death angels together, Eric and Frodo going to the streets to get Sam's medicine, Eric and Sam going to the place where her dad played piano and having an imaginary magic show, Eric finding Pizza for Sam, and we finally get to see Sam happy.

Lastly, who can forget Sam being a hero and causing a distraction for Eric and Frodo to escape the death angels? After being stuck in hospice, Sam felt like she was finally able to live.

I was very excited to see Lupita Nyong'o in this film. She's such an amazing actress, and I especially felt like she would kill another role in the horror genre after her stunning performance in Us. The circumstances are so much more different than Us, but she still does a really great job embodying her character in this film, who has to battle an illness that is definitely taking a toll on her mentally and physically. She has to learn the rules of her new reality and stay as quiet as possible in order to survive. She has to show that she cares deeply about her cat Frodo, and has to get comfortable with a complete stranger. I think Lupita does amazing.

Next up, Joseph Quinn. My introduction to Joseph was in Stranger Things a few years ago. Both are horror, sci-fi projects, and he nails it. When he's afraid, you can see it. When he's anxious, you can see it. When he's relieved, you can see it. And as I've stated before, I felt like his character really cared about Lupita's character despite starting off as strangers.

Alex Wolf's character may not have had such a huge role, but I still believe he had a major impact. He also really cared about Lupita's character and her safety so much, it cost the character his life.

I'm sure I'd feel different seeing Djimon Hounsou's appearance in Day One if I saw the other Quiet Place films because of the impact that I'm sure he has, but I can't speak on that. I can speak on, however, with this film, he does embody a character that appears to take charge, wants to help people, and will do what he needs to do to protect.

Last but not least, shout out to the cat or cats that played Frodo.

And that concludes my review I really enjoyed A Quiet Place: Day One. I usually try to watch other films in the franchise before starting one made after the others, but with this being a prequel, why not see how this goes? But I'm definitely going to tune in for the other films. Whether that will turn into a review is yet to be determined.