2018’s A Quiet Place was the alien invasion/post-apocalyptic film fans didn’t know they needed. The film introduces the Abbot family on Day 89 of the invasion and it left fans wanting to see the first days of the invasion. A Quiet Place: Day One shows what happens on day one in a crowded New York City when aliens with supersonic hearing and impenetrable skin descend on Earth.

This story follows a hospice patient named Sam (Lupita Nyong’o). During an outing in Manhattan with a group, the aliens begin landing in the city. After an explosion knocks Sam unconscious, she finds herself in a theater with other survivors sheltering in silence. The military announces to survivors they should stay quiet, make it to the extraction point at the South Street Seaport, and the invaders can’t swim.

However, Sam has plans other than leaving. Along her journey, Sam runs into Eric (Joseph Quinn) who is drawn to Sam because of her cat Frodo. Eric follows Sam on her journey before they both make their way to the extraction point.

Day One is a prequel; audiences know where this story eventually ends. Instead of focusing on the inevitability of a character’s fate, the screenplay (by Michael Sarnoski, John Krasinski, and Bryan Woods) focuses on how someone would deal with trauma and the realization that life as they know it is over.

Lupita delivers one of the best performances in the franchise. Lupita is one of the few actors in Hollywood that can command a scene with just her presence and eyes. Lupita’s performance delivers all of Sam’s emotions without uttering a single word.

Sam is a fascinating character to center the film around. Sam is not a character we often seen in horror films. As you watch the character weave through the chaos, you’re left asking questions: What is survival to someone that’s been fighting to survive for a long time? What does death look like to someone that’s already staring at it? What are the things worth living for?

Director Michael Sarnoski ditched the idea of a face paced alien invasion prequel for an intimate look at the things ordinary people would do to survive. It does its best to mirror the first film with tension and big scares, but also with an added emotional element for the main character. One of the most effective scenes in the film is Sam and two kids coming outside after a hoard of aliens chased noise from the military. The shot of a bombed out/alien ravaged New York City with bombed out brides was chilling.

A Quiet Place: A Day One is one of the most interesting films in the franchise. It’s more of an emotional journey and less of an action packed invasion film. Despite the lack of alien action, the film tells a compelling story about humanity and survival. I’m interested in what story this franchise will tell next.

Grade: B+