Perhaps best known for his comedic work in the US version of The Office (2005-2013), John Krasinski is not an artist typically associated with the horror genre; yet with his third feature as a film-maker the actor-director has delivered a thrilling, nerve-shredding horror.
Set in the near future the film focuses on the Abbott family- Lee (Krasinski), Evelyn (Emily Blunt), Marcus (Noah Jupe) and Regan (Millicent Simmonds) - who are forced to live in silence in order to hide from creatures that hunt by sound.
With little spoken dialogue throughout the film’s 95 minute running time – what there is of it barely above a whisper - Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl’s sound design is extraordinary, much of the film’s terror stemming from a creaking floorboard or running water – one unbearably tense sequence sees Evelyn desperately trying to give birth in silence while one of the toothy beasts lurks nearby.
It’s also in these quiet moments where the heart of the film lies; a conversation between Lee and Marcus by a waterfall and a silent, heartfelt farewell between two central characters proving as captivating as the film’s shocking, unsettling set-pieces.
If there is fault to be had it is that Marco Beltrami’s foreboding score is intrusive, occasionally detracting from the sense of fear that runs through the film.
However, this is but a minor flaw in a powerfully directed creature-feature that establishes Krasinski as a formidable talent behind the camera.
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