As Samira walks North, a mass evacuation of people heads South toward the water, boats and safety because the creatures can’t swim. Going against the tide of pedestrians she is thrown to the ground and almost crushed but makes her way and soon encounters Eric, who emerges from the flooding subway and spots her. He is alone in New York and insists on joining her.
Their developing friendship, not romantic but filled with generosity on both sides, overtakes the film. Quinn is enormously moving, as Eric goes from being terrified to being as strong as he needs to be to help Samira. They stop overnight at her father’s old, empty apartment, where a convenient loud thunderstorm allows them to whisper and explain their stories. The creatures are still there, with mouths that open to become tulip-shaped claws filled with sharp teeth, but the film’s pacing has slowed and they hardly seem threatening, even when they are meant to be.
The lovely, silent final stretch makes it clear that Sarnoski’s focus was always on grief and life, not monsters. Those themes and the ending are affecting, but by then the film seems to have left common sense behind along with suspense. Somehow, Frodo is always able to find Samira, even in the chaos of rubbled New York, and must be the quietest cat ever, without a single dangerous purr or meow. A note tucked in a pocket manages to survive being underwater and emerges perfectly legible. Plausibility is never the point in sci-fi, but Krasinski’s Quiet Place films made every move seem like some brilliant plan to outwit the creatures. As an emotional journey Day One has its moments. For a supposedly scary movie, it’s a little bit sloppy.
★★★☆☆
A Quiet Place: Day One is released on 28 June.
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