Silence isn't just a gimmick. It's a gold mine. When John Krasinski first pivoted from being the world’s favorite paper salesman on The Office to directing a high-concept monster flick, people were skeptical. Then the early reviews hit. The A Quiet Place Rotten Tomatoes score didn't just climb; it exploded, holding a near-perfect rating that forced critics to rethink what a "silent movie" could look like in the 21st century.
It’s rare.
Usually, horror movies get trashed by critics even if audiences love them. We see it every year—the "jump scare" fatigue that leaves a movie sitting at a miserable 40% on the Tomatometer while the box office numbers tell a different story. But this was different. Krasinski tapped into a primal fear that resonated with the high-brow critics at The New York Times and the casual Friday night moviegoer alike.
The Numbers Behind the Silence
Let’s look at the cold, hard data because that’s where the story of A Quiet Place Rotten Tomatoes performance gets interesting. The original 2018 film debuted with a staggering 96% critical approval rating. That isn't just "good for horror." That is "Best Picture contender" territory.
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Audiences agreed, giving it an 83% Verified Audience Score. You don't get that kind of alignment by accident. It happened because the movie respected the audience's intelligence. It didn't over-explain the monsters. It didn't dump a bunch of "lore" in the first ten minutes through a clunky voiceover. It just showed a family trying to survive.
Then came the sequel.
A Quiet Place Part II faced the "sequel curse," aggravated by the nightmare of the 2020-2021 theater shutdowns. Yet, it maintained a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes. Most franchises see a massive 15-20% drop-off between the first and second installments. Krasinski managed to keep the quality high by expanding the world without losing the intimacy of the Abbott family.
Why Critics Flipped for a Monster Movie
It’s about the "Elevated Horror" label, even if that term makes some genre fans roll their eyes. Critics like A.O. Scott and Justin Chang praised the film for its technical precision. The sound design was the real star. When a movie is 90% silent, every floorboard creak feels like a gunshot.
- Sound as a Character: The sound editors (Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl) basically created a new language for the film.
- Performance over Dialogue: Emily Blunt's performance—specifically that bathtub scene—did more with facial expressions than most actors do with a ten-page monologue.
- The Pacing: At 90 minutes, it didn't overstay its welcome.
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes often reward efficiency. They hate bloat. A Quiet Place was the leanest, meanest studio thriller in years. Honestly, the fact that it kept such a high score while being a "popcorn" movie is the real miracle here.
The Day One Factor and Prequel Pressure
Fast forward to A Quiet Place: Day One. This is where the A Quiet Place Rotten Tomatoes legacy faced its biggest test. No Krasinski in front of the camera. No Emily Blunt. Instead, we got Lupita Nyong’o and Joseph Quinn in a bustling, noisy New York City.
The score? A solid 86%.
While slightly lower than the original, it proved the "concept" was the star, not just the original cast. Critics noted that Michael Sarnoski (who directed the indie hit Pig) brought a more poetic, melancholic vibe to the chaos. It wasn't just about hiding from aliens; it was about finding a reason to live when the world is ending.
It’s fascinating to see how the Tomatometer tracks these tonal shifts. The first movie was a silent Western. The second was a road movie. The third was an existential drama disguised as a disaster flick. By shifting genres slightly each time, the franchise avoided the "diminishing returns" trap that usually kills horror series.
Breaking Down the "Rotten" Reviews
Not everyone loved it. If you dig into the "Rotten" section of the A Quiet Place Rotten Tomatoes page, you’ll find a few recurring complaints. Some critics felt the "internal logic" of the monsters was inconsistent. If they can hear a pill bottle drop from a mile away, why can't they hear the family breathing behind a thin wooden door?
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Others found the ending of the first film a bit too "action-heavy," argued that it betrayed the suspense built up in the first hour.
But these were the minority.
The consensus remained that the emotional core—parental anxiety—was universal enough to paper over any minor plot holes. If you’ve ever had a sleeping baby and tried to walk across a creaky floor, you are the Abbott family. That relatability is what kept the "Fresh" streak alive.
Comparing the Scores Across the Franchise
If we look at the trilogy as a whole, the consistency is almost unparalleled in modern horror.
- A Quiet Place (2018): 96% Critics / 83% Audience. This set the gold standard.
- A Quiet Place Part II (2021): 91% Critics / 92% Audience. Interestingly, the audience liked this one more than the first, likely due to the increased tension and Cillian Murphy’s addition.
- A Quiet Place: Day One (2024): 86% Critics / 73% Audience. A slight dip, but still firmly "Certified Fresh."
Most horror franchises—think Saw, Halloween, or Friday the 13th—crater by the third entry. They usually end up in the 20% to 30% range. The fact that the "worst" movie in this universe is still at 86% is a testament to the brand's quality control.
The Impact on the Horror Genre
Since the A Quiet Place Rotten Tomatoes success story, we’ve seen a massive influx of "gimmick" horror that actually tries to be good. Movies like Don't Breathe or Barbarian owe a debt to the path blazed by the Abbotts. Studios realized that you don't need $200 million or constant dialogue to make a hit.
You just need a hook.
And you need to commit to it.
The influence of these scores also changed how horror is marketed. Now, "100% on Rotten Tomatoes" is a badge of honor used in every trailer. A Quiet Place was one of the first modern horror films to use its critical acclaim as a primary weapon in its marketing arsenal, proving that "smart horror" is also "profitable horror."
What to Watch Next Based on These Scores
If you’re a fan of the high Tomatometer ratings for this series, you shouldn't just stick to the sequels. There is a whole world of "sensory horror" out there that hits the same notes.
Watch "Hush" (2016)
Before A Quiet Place, Mike Flanagan gave us Hush. It’s about a deaf woman being hunted in her home. It sits at 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s leaner and meaner than Krasinski’s film, but the tension is identical.
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Check out "The Last of Us" (HBO)
While it's a TV show, the "Clickers" are essentially the cousins of the Quiet Place monsters. The focus on family dynamics amidst a sound-based threat makes it a perfect companion piece.
Don’t overlook "Arrival" (2016)
If what you loved about A Quiet Place was the "smart" take on aliens, Arrival is the peak of the genre. It holds a 94% score and deals with communication in a way that feels very similar to the Abbott family's use of sign language.
Moving Forward: The Future of the Franchise
There is talk of a A Quiet Place Part III returning to the original family. The challenge will be keeping that A Quiet Place Rotten Tomatoes score above the 90% mark. To do that, the filmmakers have to avoid the temptation to go "bigger."
Every time a horror franchise goes "bigger," it loses the scares. It becomes an action movie.
The secret sauce of this series is the quiet. It’s the silence. It’s the small, human moments—like sharing a pair of headphones to dance to a song—that make the monsters scary. If they remember that, the Tomatometer will continue to stay green. Well, red. You know what I mean. Fresh.
Actionable Steps for Horror Fans
- Analyze the "Top Critics" vs. "All Critics": On the Rotten Tomatoes page for these films, always toggle to "Top Critics." You'll see that the 90%+ scores hold up even with the most elite reviewers, which is a rare feat for the genre.
- Watch with Headphones: To truly appreciate why the critics loved this, watch the films with high-quality noise-canceling headphones. The sound layering is the difference between a "Fresh" and "Rotten" experience.
- Track the "Popcornmeter": Pay attention to the gap between critics and audiences on the newer entries. If the audience score starts to dip while critics stay high, it usually means the movie is becoming too "art-house" for its own good.
- Follow the Sound Designers: If you liked the "vibe," look for other films worked on by Ethan Van der Ryn. His involvement is usually a signal of high technical quality.