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SPOILERS are ahead for A Quiet Place: Day One.
I’ll never forget seeing the original A Quiet Place movie. At the time, I wouldn’t have counted myself as a big horror fan (which has changed a lot since), but my friend and I decided to catch a screening of the 2018 hit film, and we walked out in love with John Krasinski’s original concept. I’ve since made it a tradition to go see A Quiet Place movies in theaters, including its prequel Day One, which I’ll admit I’ve been unsure whether it would hit the same. Now that I’ve fallen for another movie in the franchise with this new release, I want to discuss how it connects to my hopes for Part III.
A Quiet Place: Day One was based on a story by John Krasinski, but handed off to Pig director Michael Sarnoski to write and direct. While I initially didn’t understand why the main series would pause Part III to deliver this installment, I absolutely appreciated this standalone story and now I have some thoughts regarding how I’d like Day One and Part III to connect.
I Was Worried About A Quiet Place Prequel, But I Loved Day One
Generally, I’m so tired of prequels. I’m frustrated with filmmakers deciding to over explain the origin of a character I like just because there’s facts behind a specific franchise doing well at the box office. Going into Day One, I had those reservations (especially after CinemaBlend’s 2-star A Quiet Place: Day One review), but I’m so happy I went out to see it in theaters along with a ton of A Quiet Place fans during opening weekend. I thankfully found the movie to be another really impressive and even unexpected entry not only into this franchise, but any franchise.
Rather than Day One getting too into the weeds of the origin of the aliens, Krasinski and Sarnoski used the movie as an opportunity to tell a very human story with more attention on its characters than providing some kind of exhaustive and generic summer alien movie with A Quiet Place slapped on the title. I loved the concept of it being told from the perspective of Lupita Nyong’o’s Samira, a woman living in hospice for a terminal condition. How would someone who already has been preparing to die deal with the end of the world? I found the storyline following Samira’s perspective throughout the movie to be really original, captivating and, most of all, moving.
The Relationship Between Eric And Samira Was A Real Highlight
Samira’s character arc in Day One was only elevated by Joseph Quinn’s Eric, a British law student who finds himself alone and very terrified by the end of days he is suddenly confronted with. However, when he looks into the sweet eyes of a cat named Frodo and happens upon its owner, Samira, he finds purpose and solace in navigating the terrors New York City is dealing with during the alien invasion. I found the relationship between Samira and Eric to be the most captivating element of Day One. Despite them being complete strangers, an unspeakable bond between them forms that has each of them instinctively taking care and wanting the best for the other.
A lot of alien invasion movies focus on this ‘every man for himself’ mentality that could surface in humans when they are met with the potential of death and destruction. I appreciated Day One’s empathetic approach to the end of days through these two people. That is particularly illustrated through Samira’s ruthless hunt for one of the last slices of Patsy’s pizza throughout the movie. While most people were crowding to a boat to get to safety, she risked her life to get to Harlem to experience a slice of nostalgia she’s been longing for before her death. While Eric could have been characterised as someone who finds her off her rocker for going to Harlem for pizza instead of to safety, he joins her on her mission and even risks his life big time for both Frodo and Samira. In the end, Samira risks her life to get Eric to the ship.
How I Hope Day One Influences The Storytelling In Part 3
While Samira ultimately goes back to Harlem and dies there, Eric and Frodo get on the boat, notably with Djimon Hounsou’s Henri, who links the prequel to the last Quiet Place movie. If you may recall from A Quiet Place Part II’s ending, Henri was the leader of a group of survivors that welcomes Regan and Emmett to their community. Henri dies in Part II, but what if Eric and Frodo are still among the survivors of the community we have yet to meet?
By the end of Part II, Millicent Simmonds’ Regan is still separated from her mother and siblings alongside Cillian Murphy’s Emmett. Regan finds a way to kill one of the aliens herself, which could prove to be very helpful in humanity’s fight to survive. Following the events of Day One now telling the story of how Eric got on one of the rescue boats, I hope Part III will bring Joseph Quinn’s Eric (and Frodo the Cat) back and make him a new ally to Regan and Emmett!
Since it’s now been years since Part II was filmed, I imagine Part III will have to have some sort of time jump to explain Regan and her brother Marcus suddenly being older (Part II was filmed in 2019). Perhaps Regan is leading some sort of charge to kill the aliens once and for all and enlists the other survivors, including Eric, to do so. I want Eric to return to the fold because I found his arc in the prequel to be memorable, and it could lend itself to a more complete arc where he becomes a major part of saving Earth after being visibly panicked and scared in the first days of the invasion. I could particularly see some sweet moments unfolding between Eric and Regan. Quinn is such a solid talent, and I hope he finds his way in the next Quiet Place movie!
While Paramount previously announced A Quiet Place Part III as among upcoming horror movies, we don’t currently know when it’s coming. We’ll keep you updated here on CinemaBlend!