If you liked the family dynamic that A Quiet Place had to offer, then you’ll find a very similar one in Signs, along with a great sci-fi backdrop. Signs wouldn’t work without the brilliant chemistry between its cast and the fact you truly believe these people are a family. Story-wise, it’s similar to A Quiet Place due to its geographical setting and the monsters that plague the world but, for the most part, the similarities lie with the relationships. The relationships between the characters are what keep the film interesting, with the secrets they all withhold playing vital parts to story at hand. Instead of focusing on the aliens though, Signs puts its focus on the family in the middle of it.
After a series of crop circles start appearing around the world, questions start to be raised about whether aliens are real and whether they’re about to attack. Set on a rural farmhouse, Signs follows the Hess family during a global catastrophe. Signs is one of M Night Shyamalan’s most divisive films but, at its core, it’s very similar to A Quiet Place. This post was originally written by Dawson Roberts. It’s a wonderfully dark experience that replicates the incredible level of sound design A Quiet Place has to offer. There are times when the action is so intense that you’ll be trying to not make a sound at the same time as them. This means that most of the film is incredibly quiet, with little to no music playing. The crux of the film is that if you make a sound the man will be able to come and find you.
As the man attempts to get rid of the intruders, things start to get violent and you eventually realize that he might have ulterior motives for getting them out of his house. Describing it themselves as the perfect job, they break into the house and find that everything is not as expected. While he is both of those things, he’s also an ex-military soldier. Three teenagers (Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette, Daniel Zovatto) break into the house of an old man (Stephen Lang) who they believe to be both blind and very rich.
The same concept is used in the 2016 horror film Don’t Breathe, except, instead of some giant, flesh-eating monsters, the villain is a blind man. So, the characters of A Quiet Place make sure they go to extra lengths to make sure they’re not heard. In John Krasinski’s A Quiet Place, sound is the enemy, one wrong move and that could be it.