“A Quiet Place” has managed to balloon in to its own respectable horror/scifi series but through it all has remained an apocalyptic tale about people. Just when you thought you’d seen all apocalyptic scenarios, Krasinski and co have explored a reality where Earth is destroyed by super powerful monsters known as “Death Angels.” They hunt by sound and are merciless when pursuing victims. In spite of running the risk of tiring this premise, “Day One” finds a way to explore a new angle of this alien invasion. Here, director Michael Sarnoski likens the invasion of the “Death Angels” as a horrible catastrophe where in survival relies on isolation and alienation and not unity.
That said, “Day One” is about heroism, and sacrifice, and that human need to survive even in the face of seemingly all powerful predators that have obliterated humanity in what I assume was only just a week. Sarnoski is great in carrying the torch for director Krasinski, spotlighting the world as this noisy, and raucous environment that becomes much louder to the audience as we anticipate what’s about to unfold before our eyes. “Day One” brings the tale of this inexplicable invasion in the epicenter of New York City, where one day Samira finds herself desperately trying to survive the onslaught of carnivorous alien hunters known as the “Death Angels.” Samira is an apathetic stage 4 cancer patient who is preparing for the end of her life and is only motivated by caring for her loyal cat Frodo.
When the “Death Angels” arrive, Samira finds a new reason to push her own survival a little further in hopes of finding salvation for Frodo. When she meets random businessman Eric in the chaos, the pair team up to make it one more day as well as race to the docks where boats are allegedly fleeing the city for safety. “Day One” sticks true to the formula of the first two films relying on little dialogue and a lot of facial expressions and gestures to help establish these characters, all the while punctuating the brilliant sound design. Even before the chaos, Samira doesn’t say much as she has really nothing to say facing her mortality at the clutches of aggressive cancer.
Sarnoski injects some sense of hope, however minimal, emphasizing how far we can go when the will to live kicks in, allowing us to uncover traits about ourselves that we never knew existed. Sarnoski also delivers on the considerable carnage, draping the “Death Angels” in ash and smoke for a lot of “Day One” but spotlights their sudden attack on the population of New York City with numerous tense and horrifying moments of chaos, and the aliens slaughtering everything in within ear shot. “Day One” thankfully doesn’t resort to cheap gore, sticking to the monsters swooping in and swiping their victims in the blinks of an eye.
The small cast are stellar with Lupita Nyong’o offering a powerful turn as a young woman who decides to live one more day for the sake of her cat. Meanwhile Joseph Quinn is memorable as the seemingly good natured and good hearted Eric who basically follows Samira because he literally has no one else. “Day One” is a powerful and often intense prequel, one that adds on to the lore of “A Quiet Place” and sticks true to its themes about self-sacrifice, courage, and finding hope in even the direst circumstances.