In John Krasinski’s second-directorial outing, he crafts a true horror masterpiece that is consistently suspenseful and uses sound to create impactful scares and dreadful creatures.

After an unknown apocalyptic event occurs, a set of blind creatures that have enhanced hearing abilities, that will make them attack even the smallest of sounds, hunt the surviving humans roaming the Earth. The film centers on the survival of one family (Krasinski. Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds) as they craft traps and set new paths that will let them roam quietly through a desolate farmland. But as they have another child on the way and it becoming more frustrating to stay quiet, it’s only a matter of time until the creatures close in on the family.

The family the film follows is incredibly interesting to watch as they adapt to their surroundings and have genuine reactions with one another without saying a word. The use of sign language and environmental signs add suspense to tense moments and make interactions where characters actually speak to one another that much more important. It’s a tenseness that isn’t found much in any horror films.

A Quiet Place also brings some family dynamics that are not seen in the genre very often. It brings viewers into the lives of a family that is going through a tough struggle, but won’t turn on one another when things go bad. With all of this being done without words, it shows how meticulous Krasinski was in creating characters that viewers think about even after the credits roll. Not to mention, viewers will even be thinking about how they might fare with their friend and family in this situation.

Unlike in most horror films where viewers find themselves rooting for the monsters to kill the people on-screen, many won’t feel that way watching A Quiet Place. Many will understand this family’s struggle and will feel for them being stuck in this drab and horrifying situation. Viewers will definitely be happy that they are not in this family’s shoes and will have more appreciation for their survival tactics.

The film’s creatures also bring terrifying scares and are some of the most vicious and daunting monsters viewers have seen in the horror genre. Although they might be blind, these creatures are truly instinctive hunters and are a tough force to be reckoned with. They’re not the kind of monsters you would want to fight head on and viewers will recognize that. They are well designed and have a sense of mystery behind them which will make audiences feel more engaged and intrigue them every time they are on screen.

A Quiet Place is, without a doubt, one of the most unique horror films in years. Its daunting setting and wordless moments will make audiences have more appreciation for Krasinski’s vision and want to see more from him in the coming years.