‘THE QUIET PLACE’ may prove that horror is John Krasinski’s new calling

Preston Barta // Features Editor

After THE OFFICE closed its doors in 2013, it seemed as though John Krasinski would have a difficult time getting himself out of the pigeonhole of being the reactionary, lovable goof — and that ended up being, for the most part, true. I honestly couldn’t take Krasinski seriously as a drama actor in movies like 13 HOURS and DETROIT, and most recently as an action star in the teasers for TOM CLANCY’S JACK RYAN. It’s not a supernatural problem to have; he just hasn’t found that role/movie yet to tear down that wall.

His latest directed-film, THE QUIET PLACE, may be it, however.

The first trailer for the Paramount Pictures horror film released this morning, and it stars real-life couple Krasinski and Emily Blunt. While the official plot hasn’t been released yet, all we know is “If they can’t hear you, they can’t hunt you.” Check out the trailer below!

Krasinski’s previous film, THE HOLLARS, didn’t land with many critics and audiences, despite having a knock-out cast. With THE QUIET PLACE, it seems as though intimate horror may be Krasinski’s ticket to escape his role as Jim Halpert. Slap a beard on him, remove any and all dialogue and allow him to communicate all the film’s tension through body language and camera movement.

This is an effective trailer that gives us just enough information to recognize that it’s a monster movie (as learned by the claw marks on the characters’ house walls) and a smart one at that. Like its title suggests, this house/location is void of all noise and talking. Characters communicate through sign language and keep quiet to steer clear of whatever beasts are lurking outside their walls. The fact that the monsters can only hunt when they hear noises brings a blood-in-the-water element to the story that elevates it above your average creature feature. And considering that IMDb doesn’t have a composer currently attached, further supports the notion of the film being set in a “quiet place.”

I’m excited and pulling for Krasinski to wow audiences by stepping outside his comfort zone.

THE QUIET PLACE opens next year on April 18.

Feature Photo: Emily Blunt in A QUIET PLACE, from Paramount Pictures.