No spoilers.
In spite of my love for dystopia and The Twilight Zone, I am not a horror movie person. Being scared out of my mind with images that rival or exceed my worst nightmares is not my idea of fun.
But I went to see A Quiet Place anyway. And I am glad I did.
We went to the late showing. I sat next to my 11-year-old granddaughter whom I have cultivated over the years with Twilight Zone episodes. I love the storytelling. She thrives on the suspense and quirky stories. Not surprisingly, she handled the tension better than I did.
Yet the characters, acting, and unique allegory made my stress worthwhile. The film is beautiful both in its cinematography and in its message.
The movie presents one family striving to remain alive and protect each other in the wake of a predatory alien invasion. The most memorable line comes when the mother says to the father, “Who are we if we can’t protect them?”
In a world where danger is abundant and sudden, it would seem that death might be simply a matter of time. Much of the world has already died as the humans failed to rid the world of the creatures who are blind but have acute hearing–hence the need for silence.
The daughter is deaf. What may have seemed a hardship before the invasion has provided the family with a built-in form of protection–the means of silent communication through sign language.
In spite of their plight, the parents work hard to teach the children–survival skills, math, and even poetry–preparing them for a future that is uncertain at best. Yet preparing them anyway.
Christian motifs and themes abound. Forgiveness, hope, grace, mercy, and self-sacrificial love unfold in abundance. Yet, the story never feels contrived. The characters are human–real–complex.
Robert Barron calls the movie “the most unexpectedly religious film of the year.”
“Their farming is by hand; their fishing is done with pre-modern equipment; even their walking about is done barefoot. And what is most marvelous to behold is that, in this prayerful, quiet, pre-modern atmosphere, even with the threat of imminent death constantly looming, a generous and mutually self-sacrificing family flourishes.”
It’s not Swiss Family Robinson. It’s much more.
Even if horror isn’t your thing.
Photo Credit: Pixabay
Thank you for sharing your thoughts about the movie.
Thanks for commenting, Mimi!
I, like you, avoid horror at all costs, but I love that the movie is unexpectedly religious. Knowing some of this background, I may attempt to give it a go this weekend…(maybe…if I can get up enough nerve).
Try to go with someone who likes this kind of movie already. If you can hang in until the end, it’s so worth it. God bless! Thanks for commenting!
I’m not a scary movie person, either! Good to know if I’m ever coerced into this one that I’ll be able to focus on the themes instead of the scary!
Let me know if you go. Thanks for commenting!
Thanks for the invaluable review, Nancy. I too experienced real-life horror so that I won’t tollerate much more and yet admire Stephen King’s genious (his horror works from a distance, of course).
I love The Shawshank Redemption and my kids love Stand By Me–King’s not so horror-filled works. Thanks for commenting!
And The Green Mile, (Rita Hayward and the Shawshank Redemption) … The books are even better than the excellent movies. My pleasure!
Sounds interesting. I’m not much of a horror movie person either, but this one, based on your review sounds like it is worth watching. I remember watching Signs with Mel Gibson with my kids when they were teens; it is similar to the one that you mention in that it has a bit of a scary theme, but there is also a crisis of faith point running through it, and this makes it worth watching. It’s an old one, but a goodie. I love looking into movies and finding a spiritual theme from them. This is something we did a lot when our kids were young. And now my kids do it naturally today! Great review! 🙂
It has many positive elements as Gibson’s Signs had. It’s great that you taught your kids to look for spiritual elements. There are many in this movie. Thanks for commenting.
Hi Nancy!
Sometimes I like to see horror movies, but only if I know my husband will be home the following day.
I guess I’m too sensitive, and my imagination can fly off with me 🙂
I’m not familiar with A Quiet Place, yet!
God bless!
Edna Davidsen.
I prefer to see movies like this in the afternoon. That way my brain has time to process the challenging parts before I want to sleep. If I can get my husband to go with me, I’m sure it will be in the afternoon. Thanks for commenting, Edna!