A Quiet Place: Day One

2024 Paramount Pictures

Rated: PG-13

Length: 1 hr 39min

Drama ~ Horror ~ Sci-Fi ~ Thriller

Starring: Lupita Nyong’o, Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff, Djimon Hounsou and Schnitzel.

“New York City gives off an average of 90 decibels, that is the volume of a constant scream.”

Lupita Nyong’o stars as Samira (Sam), a terminally ill cancer patient living in a hospice facility outside of New York City with her cat Frodo (Schnitzel). She is a Poet/Writer who grew up in Harlem and is dealing with the last stages of cancer. Her Nurse Reuben (Alex Wolff) convinces her to go into the city with the Hospice group who are going to see a show. She agrees to go but only if they can get real pizza in the city while they are there. Just as they are about to leave the theater and go get Pizza, Reuben gets a phone call from the facility telling him there is something going on in the city and they want the group to leave immediately.

As they are all boarding the bus they notice something in the sky falling down, like an asteroid has blown apart and headed for the city. Seconds later all hell breaks loose and Sam is standing alone in a cloud of dust similar to what 9/11 looked like. Before she can catch her breath people around her are snatched by things she cannot see. She makes her way back into the theater where she is told to be very quiet and rejoins some of her group and is reunited with her cat Frodo. She eventually makes her way out to head to Harlem for pizza along with Frodo and meets Eric (Joseph Quinn), who has no idea where he is and what is going on.

The three head out into the city together to survive and make sense of what happened. A Quiet Place: Day One comes in hard, fast and loud before it gets quiet interspersed with moments of very noisy terror. It is an Alien invasion and they quickly learn that the aliens are blind, can’t swim and have extra-ordinary hearing they use to destroy anything that makes noise. Lupita Nyong’o does an excellent job of portraying Sam dealing with Cancer, dying, pain, loss and terrifying Alien creatures who seem to be at every turn. All while trying to be quiet and keep her cat Frodo by her side.

Joseph Quinn as Eric reminded me of Robert Downey Jr. I thought he was excellent in this and will have to keep an eye out for him in future roles. BUT…….The Oscar goes to……DRUMROLL PLEASE!…….Schnitzel as Frodo The Cat. Seriously this creature needs some recognition for this performance. The three of them together make this movie. I’ve watched it twice and the chemistry of the three is incredible. Awesome work! I found myself on the edge of my seat, jumping numerous times, gripping the chair, biting my nails…ok, a little over the top. But seriously there is drama and horror as they make their way through the city. There are moments when it is absolutely terrifying.

This is a great movie! It’s everything you want in a movie. It is a perfect prequel to A Quiet Place and A Quiet Place II. I debated about whether I should go back and watch I and II before this one but decided, since it is a prequel to watch this first. I am glad I did, it gives a greater insight into the story of the other two movies. Which I will be watching tonight and tomorrow.

So to wrap it up: