There’s a neighbourhood cat living in our locality which totally drives us bonkers sometimes with its constant mewing. The central conceit of A Quiet Place franchise is that one shouldn’t make noise as it attracts the alien monsters who have extra sharp hearing. Now, our question is, how did Frodo the cat know this? Because it doesn’t mew even once. Was it supposed to be a mute cat? Sometimes, it even behaved like a dog, warning its humans of danger and even uniting them when they got separated. Maybe director Michael Sarnoski wanted to make a film about a supercat but didn’t get the budget. The cat is clearly the hero of the film as it not only escapes coming under the radar of the aliens but it also has the humans literally putting their own lives in danger to save it.

There’s a reason why the John Krasinski directed A Quiet Place (2018) is considered a modern classic. The film relied on atmosphere building to bring in the chills. You hardly saw the monsters and yet actually held your breath as any extra bit of noise brought the film’s protagonists close to dread and worry. The barren background score, stark cinematography and above all, the family dynamics on display made it all seem plausible. One of the most harrowing moments of the film comes when a pregnant Emily Blunt steps on a loose mail. She can’t afford to scream and holds in the agony. Later, in the film’s sequel, the protagonists learn that the aliens can’t swim and are afraid of water. Inexplicably, in A Quiet Place: Day One, which is supposed to be a prequel, the government authorities seemingly are broadcasting all this – something that took the survivors years to learn.

There’s no attempt by the government to repel the invasion. We don’t see any fighting between the aliens and the American forces. It’s strange to see that the mighty American army, with its world ending arsenal of weapons, just caves in without a fight. And let’s not forget that America is the most gun friendly country in the world. You can literally buy them across the counter. And everyone and their grandmother seem to have them. But there’s no gun play by the citizens in self-defence. The entire population of New York is seen running like headless chickens.

And this begs another question. Why did the director not show us the mass effects of invasion and instead chose to zero on the lives of Sam (Lupita Nyong’o), her cat Frodo and English law student Eric (Joseph Quinn), a stranger they encounter by the merest of chance. How they met is even more hilarious. It seems that at the time the whole world is seeking a sanctuary to save itself, Sam is seen seeking Pizza, because she was promised one by her nurse Reuben (Alex Wolff), when they went downtown to watch a puppet show. And, inspired by her nihilism, Eric accompanies her on her quest. Of course, who can resist having a slice of New York pizza even in the middle of an alien invasion. The pizzerias in NY are sure to do big business after the film’s release.

Lupita Nyong’o is one of our finest actors around and gives her all to the project. But her character is so badly conceived that even her heroic efforts aren’t enough in making you root for her. Djimon Hounsou, the link from the second film, is wasted in a blink and miss role. And Joseph Quinn looks like he would rather be in another film than this one.

Director Michael Sarnoski has done a huge disservice to the original product. It’s hard to invest emotionally in the central characters when nothing happens to them despite them making all sorts of blunders. In one sequence, a horde of aliens pass them by but they escape attention. We want to know how John Krasinski allowed his labour of love to be twisted so badly. We were hoping for a film depicting world dominion by the aliens and the reaction of the world government and the citizens. What we got is a film about a super intelligent cat whose owner’s top priority during an extinction-level calamity is to sate her craving for pizza…