Reviewer’s Note: After a year of delays due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, A Quiet Place Part II was finally released in Memorial Day Weekend 2021. This review is spoiler-free for those not ready to head to the movies to see it is a theatrical-only release for now.

The COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing and waiting would be the best option to those not yet comfortable heading out. The film is expected to have a release on July 12th exclusively on Paramount+ with a rental date yet to be announced. If you intend to catch this in theaters, please remember to wear a mask, socially distance, wash your hands and stay safe.

A Quiet Place Part II is on par, if not better than, with the first film bringing more quiet frights while also helping its characters, both new and old, grow from the trauma of the past.

Part II continues the story from where the first film’s abrupt ending back in 2018 left off, but not before showing the terrifying events of the aliens’ first day of invasion complete with small-town death and destruction.

After this, we revert to the present day where the Abbott family are still reeling from the death of father Lee (writer/director John Krasinski) with Evelyn (Emily Blunt) having given birth to a newborn. Regan (Millicent Simmonds) is signaling for help and notices a signal in the distance.

Regan informs the family and the converge with the signal point to find Emmett (Cillian Murphy), a former friend of Lee. However, it is here that the Abbotts must realize whether or not they have an ally on their side and if the aliens are the only ones to truly be feared.

Millicent Simmonds is the star of this outing by coming into her own as the de-facto lead of the film with Regan venturing into the unknown. This is enhanced with clever sound editing and camera shots showcasing how Regan views and navigates the world while hearing impaired.

Not once is her disability made to be seen as a disadvantage in way a lesser horror film would have made it. Rather, it is used to her advantage to fend off against the elements of the world beyond the farm fields of upstate New York.

The addition of Cillian Murphy is very much welcomed as another survivor still processing the trauma of the events who progresses slowly that garners sympathy. There is a dramatic reveal in the film that hinders the audience view of the character for a spell, but does not diminish the performance as a whole.

As for the horror aspect of the film, it continues the scares from the first film while also ramping up the tension. In one part of the film in particular, the film combines three different moments of the characters ongoing silent tense moments which complement one another seamlessly that adds to an already stressful scenario.

The only downfalls come in the beginning and the end of the film. The beginning showing how the aliens invaded has Krasinski making his own character an uber-badass that is conquering everything like nothing in one of the biggest ego trips comitted in a horror film.

The ending as mentioned before comes abruptly like its predecessor before it. However, it is less cheesy than the former and gives the audience something to anticipate for in the next entry if that comes to be greenlit.

A Quiet Place Part II is a fantastic entry in a young horror series that was quick to find its leg, now running at full blast great expansion that will only have those viewing ready for more.

Verdict: 4 out of 5