I don’t normally go for horror movies, but I decided to check out A Quiet Place a few years ago and loved it enough to watch Part II. So with this prequel, this marks the first horror franchise I’ve seen in my entire life.

The film’s original director, John Krasinski, hands the directorial reins over to Michael Sarnoski, who beat out other well-known directors for this gig, thanks to his impressive work on Pig (2021). The intertitle tells us that NYC’s decibel level is 90, which sounds like a constant scream. Naturally, the residents wouldn’t stand a chance against hostile alien creatures that would kill anything making even the slightest sound.

The focus of the first two films is mainly on the Abbott family’s struggle for survival rather than delving into the origins and nature of the monsters. I thought this prequel would delve more into why the aliens (called Death Angels) leave their home world to come to Earth via meteorites. That turns out not to be the case, as the film focuses on Samira/Sam (Lupita Nyong’o) and her cat Frodo (love the Lord of the Rings reference there!). They’re trapped in Manhattan just as the aliens wreak havoc and wipe out most of the population in a matter of hours. We get to see the long-limbed creature in more detail here, and that thing looks as icky as it is horrifying.

The movie starts out at a hospice center, which could’ve been gloomy and depressing, but the mood is surprisingly light and even cheerful. Terminally ill patient Sam reluctantly reads out her funny, profanity-laden poem. Nyong’o is effortlessly charismatic, so I immediately love Sam’s spunk and sarcastic humor. She has an easy rapport with her nurse (Alex Wolff) who takes her on a field trip to a Marionette theater. It turns out to be the last time everyone can enjoy a normal way of life where they can talk to one another freely without being attacked by creatures with ultrasonic hearing.

Viewers who have seen the first two movies know the creatures’ weaknesses—they’re blind and unable to swim—which lessens the suspense a bit. But the prequel manages to be quite chilling, as the people at this point in time still have no clue that noise is what gets them attacked. A few that do figure it out manage to survive, such as Henri (reliable character actor Djimon Hounsou) and his family. The script, also written by Sarnoski, is quite adept at making us live vicariously through the people amidst the chaos. Given that death descends quickly and ruthlessly on the human race, it’s intriguing to see a protagonist on the brink of death who discovers her will to live.

The calamity doesn’t diminish Sam’s craving for pizza, so she heads to Harlem to get to her favorite pizzeria. It may seem frivolous, but I think if the world is ending, I too would feel inclined to return to a place I hold dear before I succumb to my fate. Along the way, Sam encounters Eric (Joseph Quinn), an English law student who’s understandably shell-shocked after surviving a flooded subway. 

It’s the tentative bond between these two that makes Day One much more than just another boilerplate disaster flick. Just like the predecessors, the movie creatively plays with sound, or lack thereof, allowing the actors to communicate via eye contact and gestures. At times, I was actually anxious to make a move while watching the movie, this is not the movie to bring your popcorn into. Sarnoski brought a few of his crew from Pig, such as composer Alexis Grapsas, who crafted a rather dreamy, emotional score, and DP Pat Scola, who did some great camerawork and gorgeous lighting. The storm scene in Sam’s apartment is enchantingly atmospheric.

The scenes featuring Sam and Eric are the highlights, such as the one in Sam’s childhood pizzeria where they enjoy a slice of pizza and a game of cards. It’s a heartfelt, stolen moment amidst the eerie silence where two desperate souls find connection, perhaps even love. Both Nyong’o and Quinn bring such compelling emotional depth to their roles. These touching moments make more impact than most of the scenes involving a pack of creatures; one nighttime sequence, in particular, is more absurd than scary. For one, Frodo miraculously never meows even once throughout the entire movie, and the cat is so darn smart that it can locate its mother even in an unfamiliar place! One thing for sure, the adorable feline effortlessly steals scenes every time it shows up.

I’m glad I decided to step out of my comfort zone and watch this horror series that prioritizes character development over gratuitous blood and gore. We still don’t know what these creatures’ motives are or what they want from us humans; perhaps they’re saving that backstory for Part III. The strength of A Quiet Place: Day One is the human connection; it blends heartfelt emotions with spine-tingling tension. Glad to see Nyong’o in a leading role, as she has such a commanding presence, down to the last frame. Sarnoski proves once again that he’s got writing and directing chops with his sophomore feature, though I hope he returns to doing a small indie project next.

Have you seen A Quiet Place: Day One or the previous two movies? Let me know what you think!

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