‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ set to break series records in theatres

The first, "A Quiet Place," surprised viewers. The film, made for $17 million (CAD 23 million), earned over $300 million (CAD 410 million). The story, in which no one can speak or they will die, captivated audiences worldwide. The third part is now hitting theatres. What are the critics saying?

"A Quiet Place" is directed by John Krasinski, who also stars in the film alongside his real-life wife, Emily Blunt. Who can forget the scene where Blunt gives birth in a bathtub, holding back her screams while a bloodthirsty alien monster climbs the stairs? So much happened in that scene! The film, in which everyone must stay quiet, fascinated viewers globally, resulting in exact box office earnings of $341 million (CAD 467 million). A sequel was just a matter of time. Although it cost more, it earned less. Without John co-starring, Emily Blunt brought in $297 million (CAD 296 million) from the box office for the second instalment. There are significant surprises surrounding the third part of the series.

On June 28, the third part of the series hits theatres. Directed by Michael Sarnoski, the lead role this time goes to Lupita Nyong'o. We will see how it all began—the initial moments of the alien invasion. As one can guess, all major catastrophes start in New York City. There, Sam (Nyong'o) will have to fight for survival.

According to "Deadline," the film is already breaking series records. The opening is expected to bring in CAD 6.8 million. Although this may not seem like a large sum in Hollywood, it is the best opening result for films in the "A Quiet Place" series in recent years. The first film earned CAD 5.8 million on its opening, and the second slightly more at CAD 6.5 million. Will the third instalment be the most profitable? Speculation suggests that "A Quiet Place: Day One" may bring in as much as CAD 54 million during the opening weekend. This would surpass Kevin Costner's opus magnum - his "Horizon: Chapter One" is estimated to earn at most CAD 16 million on its opening weekend. This would spell a huge financial flop.

Is it worth seeing the new "A Quiet Place"? The first reviews are in. A critic from "The Guardian" gives it 3 out of 5 stars and writes about a "suspense spectacle" with an exciting role by Lupita Nyong'o, who plays a terminal cancer patient. A reviewer from "Variety" notes that this is not a film for the faint-hearted. Although he is not one of them, and even though he cites one brutal scene, he adds: "Call me a fan of the macabre, but I expected much more carnage than what this terrifyingly sentimental spin-off by Sarnoski suggests. Almost all the scary shots it has to offer were already shown in the trailer," he says. He painfully states that the film is filled with nonsensical scenes—once again, we see a deserted New York, as if no one ever lived there.

Caryn James from BBC also points out that a film "have left common sense behind along with suspense." "The lovely, silent final stretch makes it clear that Sarnoski's focus was always on grief and life, not monsters. Those themes and the ending are affecting, but by then the film seems to have left common sense behind along with suspense (...) As an emotional journey Day One has its moments. For a supposedly scary movie, it's a little bit sloppy," she writes.