I would like to start this review off by first stating I am not a big fan of the thriller genre. I was never allowed to watch them as a child after a weeks worth of Poltergeist nightmares. With that said, I loved this movie. If you go into it with the expectation of a thrill ride you might leave with slight disappointment, however you will leave very entertained and moved. John Krasinki and Emily Blunt are terrific. Krasinkis directing is also on point. The movie sucks you right in to an apocalyptic world with a new premise without having to give you much of a foundation for it. We all have seen the downfall of society enough in movies to piece that all together and the movie pays you that respect.
Now when I say this movie wasn’t as much of a thriller that doesn’t mean it wasn’t thrilling. I mean that it doesn’t use long, drawn out close up scenes with ominous music to suck you in for a cheap scare. They immerse you in this families lives and bond you to their story. That to me was the pleasant surprise of this movie. I did not think I would connect with this family so much. We usually go into these movies and ponder what we would do ourselves. Can I make it in this world? Would I have made that choice? I was so drawn in I didn’t wonder any of that until I hit the parking lot. My entire experience as a movie goer and a father was bonded to John’s character through overwhelming empathy and pity. That is not to take away from Emily’s phenomenal performance. At a reasonable hour and a half you will be pleased to be let into the lives of this family for its entirety. A definite must see.