“There are people out there. People worth saving.

Evelyn Abbott

Sequels are a precarious prospect, particularly when continuing the narrative of a high concept breakout hit like A Quiet Place, which was never envisioned as the start of a franchise. Aside from an opening flashback to the arrival of the creatures, A Quiet Place Part II unfolds over a handful of days after the first film’s ending. Lee’s sacrifice to save his children in A Quiet Place leaves a significant hole in the excellent family dynamic, though one of the themes is Regan and Marcus discovering that they each have their father’s strength of character. The physical void is ably filled by Cillian Murphy, with a character who is not simply a replica of Krasinski’s. Whilst the narrative may be thin, Krasinksi’s assured direction delivers a solid second outing which still effectively ratchets tension despite the creatures being a known quantity and in full view from the start. Midway through Part II, he opts to split the group up, leading to a wonderfully edited sequence that cuts rapidly between simultaneous attacks, the use of tonal similarities heightening the suspense rather than detracting from it. The sound design is once again exceptional, although there is less use of Regan’s hearing impaired perspective than one might expect when she takes off alone.

7/10