Set in the near future, A Quiet Place stars John Krasinski and Emily Blunt as Lee and Evelyn Abbott who, along with their children, have been forced to adopt a silent lifestyle in order to hide from vicious creatures which hunt by sound.

Communicating through sign language and quietly salvaging what they can from their surroundings, the family forge a tense existence on their isolated rural property, fearfully aware that the slightest noise could mean death.

Krasinski, whose acting credits include Detroit, Something Borrowed, It’s Complicated and TV series The Office, also directed the A Quiet Place, crafting an incredibly unnerving film with a storyline shrouded in mystery.

It begins several months after an apocalyptic disaster and while the audience never finds out exactly what happened – or how – the wide sweeping shots of empty streets, abandoned cars and destroyed buildings indicate that much of the population has already perished.

The origin of the alien creatures also remains largely unexplored, although hints can be found in the headlines of newspapers littering the empty streets and the frantic scribblings Lee has scattered throughout his family’s hideout.

With almost no spoken words, the film relies on the performances of the small cast to tell the story and create tension. Real-life husband and wife Krasinski and Blunt bring their natural chemistry to their roles, while young stars Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe deliver equally powerful turns as the couple’s fearless daughter Regan and son Marcus.

Watching a predominantly silent film is an unusual experience and adds an unexpected psychological element. As the tension mounts, the audience, too, becomes fearful of every tiny sound.

Stunning visual effects bring the nightmarish creatures to life and the decision to keep them hidden in darkness – barring a few quick glances – adds to the oppressive and relentless sense of doom.

From its devastating opening scenes to its final moments, A Quiet Place is an edge-of-the-seat thriller.