WHAT I LIKED: Michael Sarnoski's Quiet Place prequel 'A Quiet Place: Day One,' isn't just about survival, it's about living.
Sure, it follows the moment that the people-hunting aliens from the later films crash landed on Manhattan Island, so we get to see the public's initial panic and fight for survival. But the story here is told through the eyes of a terminally-ill woman called Sammy (played amazingly by Lupita Nyongo) who only ended up in the city on a trip from her hospice. She decides she wants to visit a Harlem jazz bar and get some pizza before she dies, so the film is ultimately about her journey across the city, to "live," one last time.
That's extremely moving, as, just like Sarnoski's previous film 'Pig,' it offers a beautiful perspective on the reason we might put one foot in front of the other at all. Unlike most characters in horror films, Sammy isn't carrying on simply because she's scared of death or because of the vague promise of a tomorrow. She recognises that the only reason to keep going is to experience some joy, and that's a universal theme that cuts pretty deep, especially when the joy she's living for is something as simple as pizza and music.
That's emphasised further by the contrasting perspective of a terrified young student she meets on the way (Joseph Quinn), as he just wants to get to safety. But, between a number of tense set-pieces where they have to outrun/outsmart the aliens, the pair form a wonderful friendship as he realises her wisdom and helps her complete her journey. They even share some light humour too, though the funniest character in the film is undoubtedly Sammy's cat who the camera often cuts to looking completely unbothered no matter what terrifying horror is unfolding.
The result of all of that is a surprisingly profound film about finding joy amongst the most unimaginable horror, and, ultimately, the reason we might fight to stay alive at all.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: None of the set-pieces are quite as inventive or nail-biting as those in John Krasinski's two Quiet Place films, but this one has more on its mind.
VERDICT: With 'A Quiet Place: Day One,' Michael Sarnoski has made a surprisingly profound film about finding joy amongst horror, and the reason we might put one foot in front of the other.
