“A Quiet Place” feels like this year’s “Get Out.” Both are horror films from a newer director, who got their big breaks on television comedies and are wildly original and entertaining. John Krasinski, formerly of “The Office” fame, is behind the camera and computer for this film, serving as the writer and director and also one of the six characters in the film. This film follows the Abbott family as they try to survive in the new America: the America infested with monsters that are incredibly sensitive to noise. 

The Abbotts’ eldest daughter Regan, played excellently by Millicent Simmonds, is deaf, in the film and real life. Therefore the Abbotts all know sign language, which helps them survive. “A Quiet Place” is a very well-made and highly intense thriller that has odd yet unique creature designs and more world-building with less dialogue than any film I’ve seen in a while. 

The best part of the film without a doubt has to be the use of silence. Since the monsters are capable of hearing far better than humans can, the trick to surviving is all in being quiet. This simple idea leads to one of the most tense films in recent memory. Any and all cuts that involve sound at all feel like a jump scare, thanks to the masterful use of silence. 

This gives the film a feeling of tension from the very beginning, leaving the viewer unsure when or if the monsters will attack. The idea of a monster movie that is nearly 75 to 80 percent silent is such a unique and interesting idea, and I give all that credit to John Krasinski. 

For a director in his first big budget role, Krasinski really understands how to build tension with his camera movement while still relying on sound as the main driving scare. One scene in particular involving fireworks and a character hiding from the monsters was so well done, the entire audience was on the edge of their seats. The script for this film is really tight, not wasting any of the audience’s time. Everything that happens in the film is properly set up and paid off, and the film only being a hour and a half long really demonstrates how good this script is.

That being said, there are some issues in the film, from massive continuity and time issues to irrational decisions by characters. In the grand scheme of this film however, this is not that large of an issue, thankfully. 

The performances in the film are all really well done, from top to bottom. The chemistry between Krasinski and Emily Blunt, who plays Evelyn Abbott, is outstanding, which is mostly due to the fact that they are married in real life. The child actors do a good job in the roles they’re given. However as mentioned earlier Millicent Simmonds was my favorite performance in the film, followed closely by Emily Blunt’s performance. 

The worst part of this film is the fact that it’s only slightly over 90 minutes, and I wanted to spend more time in this world and with these characters. If that’s the worst part of a film, then you know it must be a great film.

This film is truly original and scary: two aspects most horror films strive for. For a first-time effort in the horror genre from Krasinski, I am beyond impressed with this film, and I can’t wait to see where he goes next. “A Quiet Place” is a film that is worth watching in some capacity, either at a theater or at home. The scares are real and feel earned, and luckily there’s character development for miles in this film. This is as close to a perfect directorial debut, and certainly one of my favorite horror films since “Get Out.”