A Quiet Place Review: 9 Ups & 1 Down
Ups
9. It Commits Fully To Its Silent Premise
Though the marketing made it abundantly clear that the film would be largely dialogue-free, you wouldn't be blamed for suspecting that this "gimmick" was really just a small part of the movie, and after the first half-hour or so, the central family would somehow be able to speak to each other.
There are words spoken in A Quiet Place, yes, but these moments are incredibly infrequent, with characters only speaking when their words can be masked by, say, a loud, roaring river or a special soundproofed area of their rural home.
The film is incredibly dialogue-light from beginning to end, totally trusting audiences to get involved in the story and not become restless while the characters communicate primarily through sign language and lip reading.
It's a gamble that pays off spectacularly well, and even the most inpatient, artistically-averse audiences should have no problem getting wrapped up in the family's fight for survival.