A Quiet Place: Day One film review — silence is golden as murderous aliens wreak havoc

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In the Quiet Place movies, Earth is under attack by insect-like aliens who are blind but have exceptional hearing. Survivors must stay silent to avoid being hunted and killed by these merciless creatures. The aliens do not eat humans, but simply seek to destroy them. It becomes a dangerous game of stealth and silence for those trying to outsmart the deadly invaders.

The first two movies put a lot of pressure on the main family, played by Emily Blunt and John Krasinski (who also wrote and directed the films). At a deeper level, the movies explore the theme of how far you would go to protect your loved ones. As the series progresses, it also raises the question of how much you would do for people you may not even care for that much.

In this third part of the series, we go back in time to just before the aliens show up. Samira, who doesn't like people, has only a short time left to live. On the first day, she goes to Manhattan with other patients from the hospice to watch a show in Chinatown. She treats the nurse, who is kind to her, poorly and is only fond of Frodo, a cat she takes everywhere on a leash.

With Samira facing her inevitable death, her top priority during the chaos is ensuring Frodo's survival. It's unclear if she cares at all about Eric, a frightened and anxious British man who joins their group.

The Quiet Place series is becoming more and more stale and overused, but Day One manages to deliver on the suspense and horror of a post-apocalyptic world. It effectively builds tension and releases it at the right moments, with imagery that can remind one of the fear and chaos of September 11, 2001. What stands out in Michael Sarnoski's interpretation of the story is the focus on the connection between people and animals.

Sarnoski found success with his movie Pig, where Nicolas Cage goes to great lengths for his pet pig, showing his deep understanding of the connection between humans and animals. A Quiet Place: Day One showcases this theme with a touch of humor, emotion, and just a hint of sentimentality, offering a surprising delight in a film about deadly creatures.

Starting on June 28, movies will be playing in cinemas in the UK and the US.