--- title: "A Quiet Place: Day One: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/a-quiet-place-day-one/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/a-quiet-place-day-one" critics_score: 72 critics_reviews: 18 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # A Quiet Place: Day One (2024): what the critics said Critics' score 72 from 18 reviews: 13 positive, 4 mixed, 1 negative. Most critics like this prequel more than they expected to, and almost all of them for the same reason: Lupita Nyong’o. Her performance as a terminally ill woman crossing a ruined New York is praised in nearly every review, with Joseph Quinn’s a close second, and several reviewers single out the cat. The consensus is that Michael Sarnoski has made a smaller, sadder, more patient film than the earlier entries, and that this is to its credit; a few, including The Times, call it the best in the series. The reservations cluster around familiarity. Some find the alien set pieces routine, others say the film adds little to what we know of the invasion, and a strand of reviews finds the emotional arc sentimental rather than earned. The spread is wide. Variety thinks the feeling comes at the expense of suspense, and Film Comment goes further, faulting murky visuals and sound that undercut the franchise’s main strengths. Even the doubters keep Nyong’o out of it. ## The Times — Kevin Maher Rating ★★★★★. 27 June 2024. The best entry yet in the franchise, original, inventive and emotionally complex thanks to Lupita Nyong’o’s transfixing lead performance as a woman with terminal cancer facing the invasion. It is moving, structurally perfect and exquisitely complete. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/a-quiet-place-day-one-review-the-beasties-are-back-and-better-than-ever-msr8lkx3h) ## Slant Magazine — Justin Clark Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 27 June 2024. The critic highlights how the film morphs into a bittersweet tale of living with a death sentence, praising Sarnoski's patient hand and focus on existential themes of mortality and meaning, making it lonelier, sadder, and more powerful than prior entries through Nyong'o's performance. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/a-quiet-place-day-one-review-lupita-nyongo-michael-sarnoski/) ## The AV Club — Jesse Hassenger Rating B+. 27 June 2024. The review commends the intimate, character-centric approach in this New York-set prequel, praising Michael Sarnoski's handling of quiet and Nyong'o's nuanced performance in a well-wrought genre exercise with low-key passion. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/a-quiet-place-day-one-review-intimate-new-york-disast-1851563707) ## Radio Times — Patrick Cremona Rating 4/5. 27 June 2024. The film offers an intimate, poignant take on the franchise with strong leads forming a new bond amid the invasion. Sarnoski handles the sombre mood and themes of meaning amid destruction effectively in this understated entry. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/quiet-place-day-one-review/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — David Rooney Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 27 June 2024. The critic praises the taut, consistently terrifying prequel for its intense New York setting and emotional depth, highlighting Lupita Nyong'o's riveting performance and the director's control, restraint, and compassion in balancing thriller elements with a melancholy quest narrative. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/a-quiet-place-day-one-review-lupita-nyongo-joseph-quinn-1235933652/) ## The Telegraph — Robbie Collin Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 28 June 2024. The prequel keeps the franchise’s silence-is-golden premise fresh with a bold, innovative and heart-in-throat approach to the alien invasion. It works best experienced with an audience. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/a-quiet-place-day-one-review-lupita-nyongo/) ## IndieWire — Kate Erbland Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 27 June 2024. The critic notes that Michael Sarnoski brings deep emotion to this mostly satisfying prequel, which takes us back to the start of the alien invasion, with Lupita Nyong'o and an astonishing cat performance adding new levels to the apocalyptic franchise. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/a-quiet-place-day-one-review-sequel-1235019869/) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 30 June 2024. The prequel is a bleak but curiously life-affirming disaster movie set in noisy New York, boosted by Lupita Nyong’o’s textured performance as a terminally ill poet. It is stylish and satisfying overall, despite some underdeveloped elements and over-reliance on a cat. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/article/2024/jun/30/a-quiet-place-day-one-review-lupita-nyongo) ## Financial Times — Leslie Felperin Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 27 June 2024. A predictable prequel that still delivers well-timed tension and suspense, with imagery recalling 9/11 chaos. It stands out for its emphasis on the bond between humans and animals, handled with humour and feeling. [Read the review](https://www.ft.com/content/689944d9-6741-4fbf-8d5e-6f12cd64d944) ## RogerEbert.com — Brian Tallerico Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 28 June 2024. The film has interesting ideas and strong performances from Nyong’o and Quinn but feels like a first draft, with imprecise action setpieces and insufficient tension or character development. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/a-quiet-place-day-one-movie-review-2024) ## Time Out — Ian Freer Rating 3/5. 25 June 2024. Strong performances from Nyong’o and Quinn cannot fully overcome a sense of déjà vu in this prequel. The intimate two-hander relationship and intense opening sequences provide some appeal amid familiar franchise elements. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/a-quiet-place-day-one-review-2024) ## Vulture Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 28 June 2024. The critic finds the film a reiteration of the franchise formula that does not fully exploit its fresh New York setting or premise, though it appreciates the welcome silence, Nyong'o's emoting, and the therapeutic arc centered on the protagonist's personal quest. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/a-quiet-place-day-one-review-same-old-same-old.html) ## Film Comment — Nathan Lee Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 19 July 2024. The critic faults the murky, indistinct visuals and sound design that undermine the franchise's core strengths, along with an overly sentimental character arc and questionable racial politics in the ending. [Read the review](https://www.filmcomment.com/blog/everything-is-terrible-a-quiet-place-maxxine-longlegs-review/) ## Empire — Ben Travis 27 June 2024. The prequel succeeds as an intimate character drama thanks to strong performances from Lupita Nyong'o and Joseph Quinn, focusing on two strangers navigating the alien invasion in New York. The alien set pieces feel familiar, but the emotional core of facing mortality amid the apocalypse stands out as unexpectedly moving. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/a-quiet-place-day-one/) ## Los Angeles Times — Joshua Rothkopf 28 June 2024. This rare prequel outclasses the originals for its moody, intimate human drama and bleak tone centered on a terminally ill woman’s quiet quest, with strong performances and personal moments standing out. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2024-06-28/a-quiet-place-day-one-review-lupita-nyongo-joseph-quinn-postapocalyptic) ## Screen Daily 27 June 2024. A modest but effectively melancholy prequel that preserves franchise tension while introducing new characters and themes of caring for one another. Nyong’o and Quinn are compelling, though it does not reach the heights of prior entries. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/a-quiet-place-day-one-review/5194935.article) ## Sight and Sound 2 July 2024. The critic finds the prequel gimmicky and thin despite Lupita Nyong’o’s affecting performance and some strong action sequences. It lacks meaningful symbolic resonance beyond its survival premise centered on a cat and a terminally ill woman. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/quiet-place-day-one-gimmicky-prequel-has-little-say) ## The i Paper — Christina Newland 28 June 2024. This prequel bucks diminishing returns in horror franchises with its fresh vision, new cast, and relentless scares that keep the tension high. Director Michael Sarnoski balances intense chase sequences with human tenderness and psychological realism, making it one of the more intelligent survival stories. [Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/a-quiet-place-day-one-review-3134731) ## The New York Times — Elisabeth Vincentelli 27 June 2024. The chills work better than the thrills in this prequel; the story is dominated by Nyong’o’s character and her cat, with Sarnoski adding little new information about the aliens. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/27/movies/a-quiet-place-day-one-review.html) ## Total Film — Anna Smith 27 June 2024. Lupita Nyong'o and Joseph Quinn deliver excellent performances in this gripping spin-off that expands the franchise effectively. The film maintains tension through its horror elements while highlighting the leads' chemistry in the chaotic New York setting. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/horror-movies/a-quiet-place-day-one-review/) ## Variety — Peter Debruge 27 June 2024. The prequel prioritizes sentimentality over suspense, delivering a sappy Hallmark-like story with too little action or answers about the invasion, despite a few tense setpieces and Nyong’o’s committed performance. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2024/film/reviews/a-quiet-place-day-one-review-1236050222/) ## Polygon — Siddhant Adlakha Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 27 June 2024. The critic views it as a riveting drama that explores emotional territory differently from the originals, praising its focus on human stories, New York setting, and performances by Nyong'o and Quinn. They single out the emotional resonance and character-driven approach for praise. [Read the review](https://www.polygon.com/reviews/24187509/quiet-place-day-one-review-prequel/) ## Digital Spy — Ian Sandwell Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 27 June 2024. The critic praises it as an excellent, emotionally resonant prequel with strong tense set pieces, effective sound design, and standout performances from Nyong'o and Quinn (plus the cat), which add heart without feeling forced. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a61417304/a-quiet-place-day-one-review/) ## /Film — Chris Evangelista Rating 8/10. 27 June 2024. The critic calls it the best film in the series, a surprisingly meditative character drama rather than a straightforward monster movie. Sarnoski is praised for his eye for haunting, vivid imagery of a ruined New York and the quiet bonding moments between characters. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/1611067/a-quiet-place-day-one-review/) ## Collider — Emma Kiely Rating 7/10. 27 June 2024. The critic praises the film as a touching character-driven action film that justifies its existence through brilliant performances by Lupita Nyong'o and Joseph Quinn, focusing on personal stories rather than just horror. They single out the cast and character development for praise, while noting it is less horrifying than predecessors. [Read the review](https://collider.com/a-quiet-place-day-one-review/) ## NME — Jordan Bassett Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 27 June 2024. The critic describes a smaller-scale, intimate prequel that delivers white-knuckle terror and shocking visuals of a devastated New York, anchored by Nyong'o's magnificent performance, though the screenplay is sometimes ponderous. [Read the review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/quiet-place-day-1-review-lupita-nyongo-3768910) ## Deadline — Damon Wise 27 June 2024. The critic finds the film a melancholy prequel that stands out due to Lupita Nyong’o’s spiky yet vulnerable performance, but notes its downbeat tone makes it feel more like an ambitious indie than a summer blockbuster. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2024/06/a-quiet-place-day-one-review-lupita-nyongo-stands-out-in-melancholy-action-horror-requel-1235984567/) ## Paste — Hafsah Abbasi Rating 4.6. 1 July 2024. The critic finds the film a cloying, perfunctory commercial for the franchise, criticizing simplistic character arcs and lack of depth despite strong performances. They complain about maudlin storytelling and failure to make characters resonate. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/a-quiet-place/a-quiet-place-day-one-review) ## The Wrap 27 June 2024. The review describes it as a serviceable sci-fi prequel that keeps its mouth shut but offers little new to series fans, praising the cat and Nyong’o and Quinn’s performances while noting repetitive elements. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/a-quiet-place-day-one-review-lupita-nyongo/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/a-quiet-place-day-one.md