Six years ago, John Krasinski introduced us to a creative apocalyptic nightmare: a world where aliens preyed upon humans by hunting us down through sound. In 2018's A Quiet Place, we watched Lee (Krasinski) and Evelyn (Emily Blunt) Abbott and their young family battle these aliens, while Part II gave us hope that humans could successfully fight back and reclaim the planet.
On June 28, Paramount Pictures releases the prequel to A Quiet Place, explaining how the world went quiet. A Quiet Place: Day One leaves behind the Abbotts' rural community and brings us to New York City on the day meteorites fell and humans were snatched away by these creatures. Directed by Michael Sarnoski and starring Lupita Nyong'o and Joseph Quinn, Day One expands the universe of A Quiet Place in another gripping and thrilling film.
To prepare for the impending silence, we've compiled a survival guide to not only save ourselves from meeting a disastrous end, but as a way to fight back.
First Aid Kit
Let's start with the most pressing necessity: if the end of the world is upon us, we're going to want to be able to bandage up in a jiffy. In the case of the A Quiet Place universe, we're going to opt for rolled up bandages and gauze (no crinkling wrappers, thank you very much), cotton balls and Bactine, safety pins, scissors, tweezers. We aren't going to let cuts and scraps take us down!
Magnifying Glass
It took ages for our ancestors to figure out how to create and control fires, and now we take it for granted with matches and lighters easily at our disposal. While fire is crucial to survival, the sound of a sparking match or a lighter's flick could mean the end. Enter the humble magnifying glass. Before sun down, be sure to grab some rays and do what we were always told not to do as children. Stay silent, stay warm.
A How-To Guide to Learn Sign Language
It's probably a good idea for all of us to learn a bit of sign language even without sound-sensitive aliens preying upon us, but in the event that vocal communication is a no-go, sign language will greatly increase the chances of survival. Pro tip: make sure to learn the sign language of your region! American Sign Language seems to be the most commonly used in Canada, but Quebec, the Maritimes and Indigenous cultures all have their own variations as well.
Soft-Soled Footwear
Most shoes, especially the hard-soled ones, will make some sort of noise, whether on pavement or on a dirt path. However, you're going to need some sort of footwear if the need to suddenly sprint arises. Some solutions: soft-toed ballet shoes, wrestling shoes, or maybe even really thick socks could work in a pinch.
Pillow
It sounds silly until it isn't. Let's face it, the human body makes a lot of noise — sneezing, yawning, burping, farting — it's going to happen eventually. Krasinski's solution to this? Grab a pillow and muffle the business. I would suggest at least turning it over if you're planning on using it to rest, though.
Stun Grenade/Flash-Bang Grenade
If an alien is nipping at the heels, get ready to launch a grenade like Ichiro in right field or Aaron Rodgers in a Hail Mary situation (basically, throw it as far as you can) to create a sound in the opposite direction and misdirect these creatures. Assuming these will be hard to come by, really think about when to play this card. Think of them like those axes in a case labelled "Break Glass in Case of Emergency."
Birth Control
Evelyn and Lee's decision to have a baby amidst all of this craziness was, let's face it, crazy. The emotional reasons behind it aside, giving birth without making noise and keeping a newborn/infant/toddler quiet are near-impossible tasks — not to mention bringing a child into that world feels slightly irresponsible. Never mind that the actual act required to make a child is a typically noisy affair. Save yourself the stress: if needs must, wrap it up.
Portable Ultrasonic Weapon
The most important of them all, and the most difficult to figure out. At the end of A Quiet Place, we learn that what gives the aliens their extraordinary hunting abilities also happens to be their greatest weakness. Lee and Evelyn's daughter, Regan (Millicent Simmonds), uses her cochlear implant to emit a high-frequency pitch that causes the aliens great pain and an opportunity to cause them damage.
Not everyone will have an implant or hearing aid at their disposal, so we'll need to get crafty. If there's a clever engineer in your party, see what they can build with scrap computer parts found around city centres. Or for the lucky ones, found AV equipment or a karaoke set could create enough feedback to generate just the right frequency.