#millicent simmons

 “A Quiet Place II” is the 2020 (2021, because of the pandemic) sequel to the massive 2018 hit directed and co-written by John Krasinski. The first film was a surprise blockbuster, grossing $300 million plus worldwide on a $17 million budget. Part II is a satisfactory to very good sequel that, like most sequels, doesn’t quite live up to it’s predecessor.

 All the original cast is back, with Krasinski in a small role at the beginning. The film begins with “Day 1″ as a little league baseball  game. The Abbotts, as well as their friend Emmett who figures prominently in the story, are there. After an ominous trail of smoke and fire appears in the sky. The crowd is confronted by the aliens of the first film in a high intensity sequence. The movie then jumps forward to Day 474, picking up where “A Quiet Place”, left off.

  Contains SPOILER ALERT from “AQP I”. The Abbotts, minus Lee who was killed in the first film, are venturing out into the world. The encounter Emmett once again, after a harrowing chase that started when they tripped a makeshift sound alarm. Things are exacerbated even more when the son Marcus steps in a bear trap. When they do manage to get away, they go into Emmett’s soundproof shelter. There, they hear the song “Beyond the Sea” being broadcast, repeatedly. Regan surmises that the song is a coded message or instructions and eventually she gets Emmett to help her find the song’s transmission source.

 “A Quiet Place II” checks most all the boxes for a successful sequel. I’m guessing that there wasn’t going to be a sequel originally, especially after the first film’s co-writers didn’t sign on. Krasinki though picks up the ball and runs with, doing a great job as writer-director. He does a terrific job weaving the film’s plot’s twists and turns into a cohesive whole. It manages to be obviously influenced by certain films, but making it fresh for the most part. The story shifted away from Evelyn, more to the kids. Regan, played once again my Millicent Simmonds, is the true heroine. The always reliable Cillian Murphy is good in a change of pace role.

“A Quiet Place Part II”- Movie Review It’s good to be back! No, I’m not dead. And no, I didn’t give up the blog to pursue some life-long dream. I have a good excuse for being gone, honest to god- one week of last-minute prepping for a trip down to Myrtle Beach, followed by a week actually spent in Myrtle Beach, followed by a week of post-vacation detox, then ending with a week of playing…