It’s been over a year since this film was delayed due to the pandemic, but it’s finally been released and we can see how the story continues. 

The film takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where extraterrestrial blind creatures with an acute sense of hearing have wiped out most of humanity. We continue where we left off in the first movie with our main characters, the Abbott family, who after the loss of their father Lee, and the destruction of their home are forced to relocate to a safer location. Despite their knowledge of the creature’s weakness to high-frequency audio feedback, survival is still difficult as they have to remain as silent as possible. Along the way they encounter a family friend named Emmett, who has given up on the world around him as most of the remaining humans have turned for the worst. Will our protagonists be able to find a safe haven? 

As someone who loves the first film for its use of a unique concept with familiar elements, the idea of doing a sequel sounds like a difficult task in that if there is anything else to do with it. Despite this, I was open to what director John Krakinski had to offer, and thankfully he delivered big time with this one. The film starts on a high note as in the first fifteen minutes we see a flashback of what happened when the creatures invaded on Day one. It’s one of the best openings I’ve seen in any horror film as even though you know what’s gonna happen, you still feel the sense of dread and mayhem when these creatures show up and wreak havoc. Once we come back to the present it feels less like a sequel, and more like a direct continuation as it picks up right where the last film leaves off. In my opinion, you can watch these two movies back to back almost like a miniseries.

There are a lot of parts of the narrative that I immensely enjoy. I love the idea of the family moving out of their home because while the home in the first film was a good set-piece I do have some curiosity as to what other places in this world are like. While you are interested to know what’s out there, you can’t help but feel something bad is going to happen as the world is such a dangerous place. One thing that everyone has said about Krakinski’s direction is that he is great at creating natural suspense. Even when characters do questionable things that audiences would think twice before doing, it still keeps your interest with how well the scares are timed and how good the buildup is. It also helps that they do a fantastic job with how well they handle the sound work. For example, the daughter Reagan is deaf, and the film takes advantage of that aspect as there are certain scenes where we see things from her perspective. In that, you hear nothing but vibrations while something like one of the creatures is lurking in the background. This is masterful as the suspense feels so natural that you feel like you’re there experiencing it.

The cast in this is also wonderful. Emily Blunt once again delivers another great performance. The child actors Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe are fantastic as their characters are given a lot more to do here. Cillian Murphy also stands out as his character goes through the biggest arc in this film. Everyone here stands out because while they’re not saying much dialogue, their performances come through as you can read into their actions and expressions.

Even though there are parts of the film that allow for more talking compared to the first one, it still keeps to its roots from a visual storyteller’s perspective. I’m always impressed with how people hardly say any words, but convey so much character through their actions. You can look at each of these people and immediately know their characters, what they’re about, and what they’ve gone through. I also like how the film handles its foreshadowing as the story continues, as you see the characters making out of a dangerous situation but something in the background is shown that makes you realize it’s gonna come back and create more suspense. So many of the scares in this film are so “Hitchcockian” because even though you know what’s coming, you’re not sure how it’s gonna play out or when it will happen which only adds to the movie’s sense of dread.

The movie also has suspenseful sequences that juxtapose one another, particularly in the second half where you see the characters split up and deal with different situations. While you do have an A or B plot going on, they don’t feel out of place as they find a clever way of blending them in with each other. 

It’s also important to know that this movie flies by pretty fast. Even though I was aware that it was a 97-minute runtime when we made it to the climax I wasn’t fully aware of it. While the film does end on an ambiguous note like the first film, it’s done in a way that ties up everything while still leaving enough room for a sequel. This happens to be the case as a Part III is in the works.

If you enjoyed the first film, you’ll most likely enjoy this one as well. The amount of natural suspense, as well as character, is worth the price of admission alone. It was definitely worth seeing on the big screen, as watching it with a crowd and watching them react is always interesting to see. Turn your phones on silent and see for yourself.

Rating: 5 / 5 Spinnaker Sails.

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