A Quiet Place

Hey guys! I NEED to tell you about A Quiet Place because this movie is truly something special! Since back in November when the first trailer premiered, I knew without a doubt I wanted to see this movie. I am not a horror movie fan except for a short list of some that I enjoy, and this is by far at the very top of that list! A Quiet Place is the story of a family that is forced to live in silence while hiding from creatures that hunt solely by sound. (That sentence alone hooked me!)

I went to go see this movie with a group of guys from my church. Most of us wanted to go because our wives thought the movie looked too scary for them (lol). I had heard nothing but praise for how excellent the film was, and I was ecstatic leading up to it. Even as we got to the theater and found our seats, the excitement still continued to rise.

The trailers began, and we enjoyed a mix of previews for upcoming action, horror, and comedy movies. Then, as the last trailer ended, and the opening sequence began, our theater fell SILENT. The whole atmosphere changed. People stopped snacking on their food, and many others (myself included) stirred in their seats as we mentally prepared ourselves for what we were about to experience. And wow. I don't know if I've ever been in a theater with people who had such a respect for the movie on-screen. Anyone who had to cough muffled it as much as possible, and if someone wanted a bit of their snack, they did so in "slow motion" to create minimal crinkling noise. It was amazing to see (and hear) the effect the movie had on the audience.

Though officially A Quiet Place is a "horror" movie, it was vastly different from what one would typically expect. The themes in the movie were undeniable, and I think that is part of what sets it apart. John Krasinski, who wrote, directed, and starred in the movie did an incredible job weaving his own beliefs and feelings into the film.

One thing that frequently came to my mind as I sat glued to the edge of my seat, was a lesson on noise vs silence. Experiencing how impossibly quiet each of the characters had to remain as they learned to embrace the norms of their new lifestyle spoke volumes. It reminded me how noisy we are as humans and a society.

Often times we think of silence as awkward, or uncomfortable. But for the characters in this story, silence means survival. Anything above a quiet whisper almost guarantees death, and we learn that from the very beginning of the film as we are introduced to this family and this world. This was eye-opening for me, as often times in my life I must quiet the noise around me to hear God's voice. Even the Bible tells us in Ecclesiastes 3:7 that "there is a time to be silent, and a time to speak."

The main theme of A Quiet Place is that of parenthood, family, and love. This is a powerful message to be coming from what is publicly known as a "horror" movie. When John Krasinski was initially given the script to re-write, he has just had his second child a few weeks prior. In one interview he talked about how he incorporated the thoughts and emotions of being a parent into the story.

Throughout the movie, it is clear that there is a bond with this family. Lee (Krasinski's character) will do anything as a parent to protect his loved ones. As we are shown how this family lives each day, we see them praying together before a meal, showing us that even through these unimaginable circumstances, they trust in God as their father to care for them. Just as God cares for His children, Lee tirelessly researches these creatures that hunt them day and night, and how he can further protect and provide for his family. Just as with God, there are no limits to what Lee is willing to do for those he loves.

Without spoiling anything, there are a couple times in the movie where we see examples of unconditional love. Due to certain circumstances, one of Lee's children thinks that he blames them for something that happened to the family, and no longer loves them. This is brought to his attention as he shares with another character how much he loves all his children. To which the character responds, you need to tell them, because they think you no longer love them. How many times in our own lives do we forget to express our feelings for each other? It's so easy to think, "well yeah, of course I love them", and forget that that's not enough, they need to hear it and be reminded of that love. When Lee finally has the opportunity to express his love back to the child who fears they have lost his affection, it is one of the most powerful moments in the movie.

In closing, clearly, I LOVE this movie! Though it falls into a category I would typically avoid, there is much to learn from it. And that's an amazing thing, to see God use something unexpected to change your point of view. I know that my faith and appreciation for love and family has grown through the story and message of this film. Don't get me wrong, this movie is downright thrilling and scary, pulling you to the edge of your seat. But don't let that be a turnoff for you. All of this contributes to its central theme; a message of unconditional love in a family.

God bless! 😀
Austin