The 2018 breakout hit, written, direct and starring John Krasinksi, ended with a glorious shot of Emily Blunt’s Evelyn cocking her shotgun and readying herself for what comes next.
It was not so much a cliffhanger as a statement. This woman is going to do all it takes to protect her family.
Having survived wave after wave of monster attacks, stepping on a rusty nail AND giving birth in silence, you could be forgiven for wondering why Blunt is back for more thrills and spills.
AQPII opens the world up outside of the farm where most of the first film was set and takes our heroes on a harrowing journey across delete lands and forever in threat of being munched on by videosly leggy beasts.
This leap in scale is akin to two classic sci-fi movies, those being Ridley Scott’s Alien and James Cameron’s Aliens.
The sequel opens with a sequence revealing how the ‘invasion’ came to pass. Something not shown in the original, and the manner in which the events unfold is terrifying, despite the fact that, you know, the Abotts service the first wave.
Time skips on from day one to day 474. Mere moments, in fact, after the horrors of the farm assault. Evelyn, Regan (Millicent Simmonds), Marcus (Noah Jupe) and Evelyn’s newborn baby come across an old family friend in the crochety Emmett (Cillian Murphy) and a small band of survivors hiding out in groups with dwindling supplies. It swiftly transpires that the alien threat may not be the most pressing concern.
AQPII may not have the surprise factor that the original did but the long-delayed feature is an excellent frightener that demands being seen in the cinema.
Krasinki’s knack for a set-piece papers over some of the crack in the story and pacing and it is only a matter of time until the threequel is greenlit.
Click the below poster image for screening details.
