The movie is set in a post apocalyptic world haunted by blind alien-esque predatory creatures which zero in on their prey by sound. The very thought that any and every sound could literally be your death knell makes one shiver as the seriousness of the situation strikes us in an early scene.
The narrative focuses on the ordeals of a small rural family of the Abbotts consisting of - real life spouses - John Krasinski (as Lee Abbott), Emily Blunt (as Evelyn Abbott) and their two kids - a daughter who is hearing impaired - Millicent Simmonds (as Regan Abbott) (hearing impaired in real life too) and a son - Noah Jupe (as Marcus Abbott) - as they adapt to a silent survival mechanism. Most of the movie proceeds in sinister silence with just the ambient sounds of nature as we find that the family has adapted to survive by walking barefoot always, giving up using any silverware and communicate almost exclusively in sign language.
John Krasinski who has also directed the movie has created a tense thriller which keeps the viewers entirely engrossed and riveted to the edge of their seats. He extracts remarkable performances from the entire cast - especially from Emily Blunt who aces her role as an expecting mother encountering several terrifying turn of events along side Millicent as a rebellious teen with daddy issues.
Special credits are due to the sound designing duo of Erik Aadahl and Ethan Van der Ryn who have done a tremendous job with the silences and natural ambient sounds that infuse every frame with the apt atmospherics of terror that runs through the entire duration of the movie. It is interesting to note that they have also worked on the latest sequel of that junkyard jamboree of Transformers - The Last Knight.
Krasinski is economic with his storytelling and builds the dread with every passing frame as surviving every silent second becomes a spellbinding and spine chilling experience as you fear that your own excited heartbeats are getting too loud for your safety.
Overall, it is a well crafted sci-fi thriller which elevates a simple premise into an absorbing adrenaline rush that stays with you long after your viewing.
A THRILLING WATCH (best enjoyed on a big screen with excellent acoustics) !!
RATING - 4/5
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