Director: John Krasinski
Cast: John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe
Have I Seen It Before?: Yes. It feels so strange to come back around to films that I had first seen just before I started writing these reviews. In fact, I had to double check to make sure I hadn’t already written a review. I guess that is what life will be like from now. That, and Purell. And, if this film is any indication, silence.
Did I like it?: I think the only flaw you can lay at this film’s feet is one of which most viewers would indict most horror films. Why are the characters making the decisions they make?
The Abbott family (even after this second viewing, I am almost certain that they are never referred to by name during the film, and only during the closing credits) have made valiant efforts to exist within this eradicated world, far more than I would ever be interested in. I’ve thought this while watching The Walking Dead, but if wi-fi was down for longer than 48 hours, I’d be ready for early checkout from the planet.
But was there any talk (or gesturing, naturally) on the subject of birth control in this house?
I suppose I can understand the grief of their youngest child dying at the claws of the ear-o-morph influencing Mr. (Krasinski) and Mrs. (Blunt) to find comfort in the prospect of giving birth to another child, but as prepared as these folks were for life under the audio goblins, they were not prepared for post-natal care. In all fairness, though, I do tend to look at people having kids in our current situation as being cursed with an excess of optimism.
While I can never fully escape this line of thinking when watching the movie, the writer in me realizes it is essential to the creation of tension throughout. Nary a moment is wasted in the film, even with those parts where I’m screaming at the screen “Why would you do that to yourself?!” It’s a tightly packed thriller that you would never have expected to come from the guy who spent the better part of ten years smirking at the camera.
This doesn’t even being to cover the sound design of the film. Pitch perfect in every single moment, all the more impressive when a film insists on this level of pristine sound design.
Honestly, I’m willing to forgive the pregnancies if we can all decide to focus on the sound.