National tragedy has a way of deeply ingraining itself into the cultural zeitgeist. In the United States, and especially in New York City, the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center come most readily to mind. That day of horror shook the island of Manhattan and its residents, leaving many in disbelief, despair, and existential crisis. Yet, amidst the chaos, New Yorkers banded together, finding mutual humanity through the courage and kindness of those around them. Famously, America’s largest maritime evacuation occurred that day, with nearly 500,000 people transported out of lower Manhattan by local and commercial boaters.

 

A Quiet Place: Day One sets itself in the same city as this national tragedy and cleverly uses the infamous and constant noise of the city as an ironic and devastating contrast to the silent world established by previous writer/director John Krasinski. While it may seem absurd to compare a blockbuster horror film to one of the nation’s greatest tragedies, director Michael Sarnoski effortlessly evokes the terror felt worldwide in the fall of 2001, imbuing the experience with deep humanity. A Quiet Place: Day One delivers the scares and thrills that the typical moviegoing audience seeks but, more importantly, offers an emotionally moving journey about the will to survive and the true meaning of being alive.

 

Slowly dying and confined to hospice care, Samira (Lupita Nyong’o) finds little joy in life, knowing she is merely inching towards her inevitable death. She joins her fellow patients on a field trip to New York City, where, soon after their arrival, strange creatures that hunt by sound emerge. Aware that her condition leaves her little chance of survival, Samira resolves to fulfill one final wish before her likely demise, whether by illness or monster.

 

A Quiet Place: Day One, as the title suggests, revolves around the arrival of the aliens that invade Earth in this fictional universe. However, the film offers little as a hypothetical origin story. Almost immediately after the aliens’ arrival, the world plunges into silence, mirroring the tone of the franchise’s previous installments. While this trademark silence is used effectively to build tension, it nearly strips away any sense of origin the film might have provided. The journey of discovering what these monsters are, how they hunt by sound, or what their potential weaknesses are is entirely absent. Instead, Samira's poignant final journey takes center stage, and the world-building elements familiar from the previous films are established early on. While focusing on a different story within this universe adds a compelling dimension, it falls short for those expecting a foundational explanation for the world in which this narrative unfolds.

 

Traveling with her service cat Frodo, Eric (Joseph Quinn) first encounters the animal when he bursts out of the water, narrowly escaping an attack by the creatures. Feeling a destined connection, Eric is compelled to follow Frodo and soon joins Samira. Despite her insistence that he shouldn’t accompany her, Eric becomes her steadfast companion after sharing a moment of vulnerability and grief. No matter what, Samira cannot seem to shake him off.

 

As the two navigate through Manhattan, narrowly avoiding multiple creature attacks, a deep bond forms between them. The film masterfully portrays the extent to which they will go to protect and care for each other. Their relationship culminates in two separate emotional climaxes, each fulfilling their mutual and individual arcs. Interlaced with the surrounding horror and tension, the film excels at creating a powerful connection between the characters and the audience. 

 

Both the gripping action and the characters’ emotional journeys drive the plot forward, compelling the viewer to become deeply invested. In a setting where the world seems to be ending, amid horror and tragedy, Eric and Samira find solace in each other, igniting a mutual fire that propels them to persist.

 

Amid the film's destruction, the once bustling city starkly mirrors the devastation seen in our world. As we know from A Quiet Place Part II, the creatures cannot swim, and the film leverages this by orchestrating a boat evacuation reminiscent of the one during the 9/11 attacks. Beyond thematic similarities, the visual style intentionally evokes the day of the September 11th attacks. At one point, the creatures converge in a large, seemingly collapsed building structure, surrounded by steel beams and filled with a pit of concrete, evoking the Ground Zero site of the World Trade Center towers after their collapse.

 

In the midst of the chaos, Nyong’o’s character awakens covered in debris and dust, strikingly resembling a famous photo taken by Stan Honda of businesswoman Marcy Borders during the attacks, infamously dubbed “The Dust Lady.” Sarnoski, no stranger to deeply personal and humanistic stories, employs a clever and powerful allegory in this film through the 9/11 attacks. The result is not only effective but also profoundly moving, creating a poignant connection between the fictional horror and real-world tragedy.

 

If you're seeking an origin story for the world of A Quiet Place, you'll be disappointed with the prequel, A Quiet Place: Day One. However, what you will find is a surprisingly moving and heartwarming tale about the compassion that binds humanity together in our darkest moments.