“A Quiet Place: Day One” First Reactions: A Thrilling Prequel Led By Lupita Nyong’o, Joseph Quinn, and Frodo the Cat
The first reactions are pouring in (or are they purring in?) for Paramount’s prequel A Quiet Place: Day One, indicating that writer/director Michael Sarnoski has pulled off a properly satisfying lens-widener on the sci-fi horror franchise created by John Krasinski. Krasinski established the after-effects of a world dominated by blind but exquisitely lethal aliens who hunt by sound in A Quiet Place (2018) and A Quiet Place: Part II (2020). Those films captured the reign of the blind, sound-hunting aliens 472 days and more after their arrival on Earth—now, we finally get to see what the world was right as the alien invasion was underway. It’s not pretty.
Led by Lupita Nyong’o and starring Joseph Quinn, Djimon Hounsou, Alex Wolff, and a cat named Frodo—played by two kitties, Nico and Schnitzel—Day One expands the scope of the franchise even further than Krasinski’s killer follow-up, Part II, did. In Part II, Evelyn Abbott (Emily Blunt) and her children meet other survivors of the alien scourge. In Day One, we’ll see how New York City reacted to their arrival, with Nyong’o’s Sam and Quinn’s Eric coming together under the most insane of circumstances in attempt to survive in the explicable and very sudden alien attack.
“A Quiet Place: Day One is extraordinarily raw exploring the resilience and underestimation of simple human interaction,” writes Critic Carla Renata. “Once again I could hear a pin drop in the theater because everyone was so invested in what would happen to Lupita Nyong’o, Joseph Quinn, and the cat,” writes Collider‘s Steven Weintraub.
Let’s have a peek at what the critics are saying. A Quiet Place: Day One is in theaters on June 28.
Loved #AQuietPlaceDayOne. It ups the tension from the first two by adding a slew of aliens to the mix. But at its heart, this an emotional story of two lost people finding themselves again. Schnitzel the 🐈 totally steals the show. The ending is outstanding. #aquietplace #nyc pic.twitter.com/t8NMWGKkdI
— Mark Daniell (@markhdaniell) June 23, 2024
A Quiet Place Day 1 is just as effectively terrifying as the two Krasinski movies and a lot of that has to do with Lupita Nyong’o’s performance which is on par with Blunt’s in those movies. I loved it!
— Edward Douglas (@EDouglasWW) June 23, 2024
#AQuietPlace DAY ONE is perfect. Michael Sarnoski understood the assignment + didnt miss. As nerve wracking as the scares are they don’t hold a candle to the gut-wrenching, beautiful story at the heart of the movie. Lupita Nyong’o is astonishing + her performance had me in tears. pic.twitter.com/xT95G0LN9o
— Shannon | #FreePalestine 🇵🇸 (@shannon_mcgrew) June 23, 2024
@AQuietPlace is extraordinarily raw exploring the resilience and underestimation of simple human interaction. My favorite of the franchise thus far and a star showcase for Lupita Nyong’o and Joseph Quinn. #AQuietPlace #DayOne pic.twitter.com/snyqQAQ6TE
— Carla Renata (@TheCurvyCritic) June 23, 2024
A Quiet Place: Day One is easily my favorite in this franchise. It’s human & raw & is a story about the desperation that exists when all hope is lost & how that turns into a deep connection with each other. Joseph Quinn, you movie star! Lupita Nyong’o has an Oscar for a REASON. pic.twitter.com/Mm4XffHHLs
— Rachel Leishman (@RachelLeishman) June 23, 2024
@AQuietPlace #DayOne shows the Quiet Place universe still has a lot left to explore. Once again I could hear a pin drop in the theater because everyone was so invested in what would happen to Lupita Nyong’o, Joseph Quinn, and the cat.
You read that right. The third lead is a… pic.twitter.com/13W59GAn3Z
— Steven Weintraub (@colliderfrosty) June 23, 2024
Loved A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE.
Thematically, if PART I and II are more akin to ALIEN — small, quiet moments of terror — DAY ONE is closer to ALIENS.
Big, loud and scary monster carnage.
Nyong’o gives a heartbreaking weight to her role — and the final shot will leave you BROKEN. pic.twitter.com/8P5A1XGpxJ
— Jake Hamilton (@JakesTakes) June 23, 2024
How about a one-two punch of excellent horror trilogies … because #AQuietPlaceDayOne is quite good, too!
I loved the first two films, their sky-high tension and their more contained settings, but I also love an epic big city disaster film. Day One delivers that while making the… pic.twitter.com/W0ThLwPT5j
— Perri Nemiroff (@PNemiroff) June 22, 2024
A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE might be my favorite of the series. The city setting brings new thrills and nail-biting suspense.
But what truly sets this apart is Lupita Nyong’o and director Michael Sarnoski telling a poignant story about finding inner peace, even during the apocalypse. pic.twitter.com/ja8PBehO7G
— Andrew J. Salazar (@AndrewJ626) June 23, 2024
A Quiet Place: Day One is excellent.
It didn’t have as much apocalypse-falling carnage as I’d hoped for but the human story told here is both terrifying and beautiful.
Lupita Nyong’o and Joseph Quinn are great. Nice new bits of lore, too. Plus, the cat is a star. pic.twitter.com/X7JGLHU06A
— BD (@BrandonDavisBD) June 23, 2024
Loved #AQuietPlace. Left me with some questions but it was this movie takes the heart pounding tense moments on a grander scale compared to the first two films.
Lupita Nyong’o and Joseph Quinn were fantastic and yes that damn cat will have you screaming at the screen. pic.twitter.com/eFPzyF62lO
— B E A N Z (Miss U Mom) (@BeanzGotGamez) June 23, 2024
For more on A Quiet Place: Day One, check out these stories:
Devastation & Determination in a New “A Quiet Place: Day One” Featurette
“A Quiet Place: Day One” Trailer Unleashes the Alien Scourge on an Unsuspecting NYC
First Trailer for “A Quiet Place: Day One” Reveals the Lupita Nyong’o-led Prequel
Featured image: Djimon Hounsou as “Henri” and Lupita Nyong’o as “Samira” in A Quiet Place: Day One from Paramount Pictures.
