Sounds kill. One whisper, one cough and you’re dead.

“A Quiet Place,” released in April 2018, is a harrowing film of a family under siege by blind monsters with impeccable hearing, and the only way to survive is to be completely silent.  

John Krasinski, known for his role as Jim in the sitcom “The Office,” co-wrote, directed and starred in the chilling masterpiece that plays into the human senses. His co-star, Emily Blunt, is also his wife in real life. Blunt and Krasinski, create a perfect combination both on and off screen and display a film unlike any before.

The movie also features a deaf girl, excellently portrayed by Millicent Simmonds.  Noah Jupe, the young son, also showed his acting strength in the movie. He is also in the movie “Wonder,” and he is definitely a new child actor to watch. 

With barely any talking, the movie is focused on sign language — a daring stylistic choice. As the movie progresses, this concept reveals its true genius. Every action, every movement and every subtle direction makes up for the total silence.

While most movies portray emotions through dialogue, the subtle sound techniques and reverse shots do this for you. The movie unfolds in three different parts of the family’s lives. It begins on Day 89 (the number of days since the monsters arrived) and has quick snapshots of bare feet tiptoeing in an abandoned grocery store. 

The camera suddenly jolts to a girl with ratty hair, and the faint noises of the tiptoeing feet disappear. There is now no sound at all. Quickly, there is a side shot of the girl, who has a cochlear implant. It is clear that the young girl is deaf, and whenever the camera is on her, the sound disappears. Simmonds, the actress who plays the young daughter, is deaf in the movie and in real life. 

Although the film was very well done, I felt that there were some major plot holes. For example, Blunt’s character was pregnant throughout the film, and since babies cry endlessly, the family has an intricate plan in order to keep themselves safe from the monsters. There is a scene where Blunt’s character has a sound-proof wooden box and places an oxygen mask on it so the baby can breathe. But let me remind you: this family is fighting for their lives living on a farm surrounded by endless woods and cornfields.  How did they get an oxygen tank?

When the baby is born, Blunt is seen with an IV stuck in her arm. Again, where and how could she possibly get those materials? While I tend to notice the small details, these things may not be evident or distracting to other people.

Nevertheless, I was sitting at the edge of my seat for the entire movie. Multiple times, multiple screams were heard throughout the theater. If you are someone who doesn’t like horror or monsters popping out of nowhere, this movie might not be for you. However, I’d highly recommend it if you enjoy these types of scary films. 

It is currently showing at several local theaters including AMC Century City, The Landmark, and Ipic Westwood. It is rated PG-13 for terror and some bloody images.