A Decade of Terror: The best horror films of the 2010s

A Quiet Place–Courtesy of Platinum Dunes and Paramount Pictures

A Quiet Place (2018)

The more I think about A Quiet Place, the higher I want to rank it. Viewing the film’s trailer may leave you with the impression that A Quiet Place is simply a horror film about alien creatures who use sound to hunt humans, but first-time horror director John Krasinski remarkably taps into something much deeper than surface-level terror.

Yes, that horrifying aspect of the film exists, but A Quiet Place is largely about the silent effects of grief on a family — primarily the wedge it threatens to drive between the relationship of a father and his children. Krasinski expertly places the relationship of the family — the angst, the confusion, and most importantly, the love — front and center, which has tremendous emotional payoff for the viewer. It’s among the most heartbreaking horror films we’ve ever seen, but it doesn’t come without moments of pure sweetness.

The performances by Krasinski, the children (Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe), and especially Emily Blunt, are nothing short of perfect as they successfully convey the horror and heartbreak of the situation while establishing an emotional connection with their characters and the audience.

A Quiet Place tugs on your heartstrings more often than not, but don’t let that fool you into thinking that it’s not scary. The constant danger that the family, specifically the children, are in is enough to shred even the most composed viewer’s nerves. It’s 90 minutes of panic-inducing anxiety that easily ranks among the best horror films of the 2010s.