The theater was teeming with viewers, yet it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop as the opening scene for A Quiet Place rolled out on the screen. As explained through the title, no sound spilled through the speakers as the actors appeared. Directed by, and starring, John Krasinski, my first thought was that this movie held a vastly different character portrayal than his well-known role as Jim in The Office.

The well-written screenplay captivated your attention, and you were kept on the edge of your seat as you waited for what was going to happen next. No music played for most of the movie, where it would have alluded to a scene change in another film. This made it so the sound effects that were included affected you more than they would in a normal, sound-included,  film.

The movie easily engrossed your attention as you watched the characters communicate through sign language, made understandable by the subtitles rolling along the bottom of the screen. The entire theater was silent throughout the movie, as if we had to communicate silently as well, scared to make a noise and disturb the atmosphere the movie created.

One of the children was deaf, and parts were shot as if they were through her point of view, going from the minimal noises like the wind rolling by, and the quiet thump as they walked, to absolute silence.

The first noise made in the film sounded like something much louder than the simple toy space ship it was. The mechanical whirring and beeping of the toy filled the theater, and everyone watching held their breath as we waited for what was going to happen next.

This movie was brilliantly orchestrated, and the clever screenplay had you waiting for the next noise, the next interaction between the characters and the monsters chasing them. The scene laid out for the viewer was what made the movie so interesting.

The camera focused on every single minuscule detail that would affect the characters, from honing in on their bare feet as they walked along train tracks, or their hands as they ate dinner without utensils, from plates made of soft leaves.

The movie made you hyper-aware of every noise you were making, and just how much noise you make in everyday life. One man in the theater even smartly remarked “Wow, this movie is really quiet”.

John Krasinski and Emily Blunt did not disappoint, and their skills as actors were the main focus of the film. There was no sound to focus on, so you saw the raw beauty and emotion of the characters through the power of their acting.