"A Quiet Place Part II": Breaking Traditions with Rescuers and the Rescued

Laura Mulvey once pointed out that the fundamental principles of imagery and narration in mainstream commercial films are built upon a binary narrative and image sequence, primarily revolving around the idea of "men as viewers/women as objects of gaze." This is a series of dichotomies, such as male/female, seeing/being seen, active/passive, subject/object.

In the film "A Quiet Place," this transformation of the dynamics between seeing and being seen is portrayed as the collapse of patriarchy and the awakening of female consciousness. It involves the father's sacrifice and the mother and daughter becoming the protectors of the family.

In the sequel "A Quiet Place Part II," this dynamic is entirely replaced by female/seeing and male/being seen.

01: Transition of Character Perspectives

As mentioned earlier, the transformation of the "seeing/being seen" relationship in "A Quiet Place" is exemplified by the scene of the father's sacrifice at the end of the film. As a sequel to its predecessor, "A Quiet Place Part II" reveals the continuation and transformation of this relationship to the audience right from the beginning.

The film starts with the father still being the primary viewer, portraying the calm appearance of the town before the disaster and the lurking dangers. It's a situation of tranquility, yet with hidden perils. When the father arrives at the baseball field, the camera focuses on his action of cutting fruit with a knife. Afterward, his daughter lightly taps his hand, and the camera moves up to focus on the daughter, capturing their hand signals. It then moves upward to frame both the father and the daughter in the scene. At this point, the father transitions from being the primary viewer to becoming the object of the gaze, and the daughter briefly takes control of the "seeing" initiative. This marks the first shift in character perspectives.

This change in perspective is not just a response to the daughter taking over the responsibility of protecting the family from her father in the previous film. It also sets the foundational tone for this movie as a departure from traditional commercial films, where the daughter/woman becomes the active party in charge of protection, while the male characters take a back seat. The gender dynamics of "seeing/being seen," active/passive, and subject/object are thus reversed.

In the scenes where monsters attack the town, women (the daughter and the mother) take on the role of the primary viewers compared to the men. Following the memory sequence where a male police officer futilely shoots at the monster and is brutally killed, the transition from memory to reality occurs as the son nervously "closes his eyes and covers his ears," leading to the mother taking up the gun to initiate the beginning of the second part’s timeline..

At this point, the character dynamics become evident — the women who take up arms for counterattack are the saviors/protectors in the film, while the males who "close their eyes and cover their ears" are the ones being saved/protected within the family. The traditional "strong man, weak woman" formula in mainstream commercial cinema is thus overturned.

02: Saviors and Those Saved

In mainstream commercial cinema, female characters are often relegated to serve as visual stimuli that constitute spectacle and elicit desire in the viewer. Even in action films with female protagonists, many women are still portrayed in revealing outfits, catering to the male audience's desire-based viewing. However, in "A Quiet Place Part II," female characters defy tradition and become the saviors, rescuing the men trapped in dire circumstances.

The Saviors

As a savior, the daughter, not the son, takes up the mantle of her father and becomes his successor. While it's clear that remnants of patriarchy remain after the father's passing—such as the daughter using what her father left behind to locate survivors and rescue them—it is more a representation of breaking through patriarchy and embodying her father's will to save others. In the previous film, the father acted as a leader connecting survivors from different regions, offering hope for survival to both himself and others. In the sequel, the daughter's actions go beyond merely facilitating communication and instead involve risking her life to pass on the knowledge of survival to other survivors.

Even when faced with rejection from her brother and persuasion from her father's friend Emmett, the daughter remains steadfast in her beliefs and ventures alone into dangerous territory. Her actions stand in stark contrast to the inaction of Jean-Pierre Nshanian's character, the leader of the island who discovers a place to evade the monsters but does nothing to help survivors in other areas. If the uprising and resistance of female characters in the previous film were still entangled with the specter of patriarchy, in this sequel, that entanglement has been successfully transformed into a breakthrough against the remnants of patriarchy.

Those Saved

In most films, characters designated as "those saved" typically serve as a decorative element, often highlighting the wisdom and bravery of the saviors by showcasing their vulnerability, sometimes even having the appearance of hindrance.

In "A Quiet Place Part II," those saved find themselves entangled in their own emotional struggles that they cannot overcome. They play a role in protecting each other and supporting the narrative alongside the saviors.

The son, as the only other character besides the baby who fits the role of "those saved" in the family, is portrayed as fragile and often takes passive actions. While fleeing, he accidentally steps on a trap, and in his excruciating pain, his mother immediately covers his mouth to prevent him from further making noise that could attract the monsters. When his mother risks her life to find essential supplies, he waits in a safe place with the baby. His curiosity even leads to putting the family members in a dangerous situation. Despite this, he undergoes significant growth in the end, taking up a weapon to confront the monsters and protect his family. This action not only embodies the saviors' role of helping those saved conquer their inner demons but also represents a reversal in the image of the saviors and those saved.

Another character designated as "those saved" is Emmett, the family friend. Compared to the son's vulnerability, his initial characterization is selfish, which symbolizes the selfishness of most survivors. The daughter's act of saving him is in contrast to her own goal of trying to rescue other survivors. In this context, Emmett represents "those saved" who are survivors in various areas.

Emmett undoubtedly represents a manifestation of male authority and power. They possess great strength to protect others and indeed safeguard the mother's family on several occasions throughout the film. However, when the time comes to save others, he displays hesitancy. He refuses when the mother implores him for help as she takes her children on a perilous journey, and he similarly rejects her plea to help find her missing daughter. Despite wielding power and agency, he chooses to act in a selfish and cowardly manner. The root of his selfishness and weakness lies in the loss of his wife, the absence of a woman, making him one of those saved trapped in his own inner demons.

Therefore, as Emmett and the daughter embark on their journey to save other survivors, their relationship reflects not only a power struggle between male and female forces but also moments when male power sometimes surpasses female power, ultimately aiming to demonstrate the daughter's redemption of Emmett's spirit through their journey. This also helps achieve a balance between male and female characters.

Interestingly, when the monsters cross the river and arrive on the island, the leader of the island, who should have assumed the role of the savior, experiences unprecedented fear at the critical moment, retreats, and is subsequently killed by the monsters. The burden of saving now falls upon Emmett and the daughter. When Emmett, like the daughter's father, prepares to sacrifice himself to protect her, she once again raises a weapon to kill the monsters, saving Emmett and making amends for her own regret of not saving her father.

In contrast to typical commercial films, in this movie, the relationship between the saviors and those saved undergoes repeated transformations. They complement each other, endure hardships together, protect one another, and ultimately reach a state of balanced power.

03: The Growth of Men Under Female Influence

Almost everyone can recognize "A Quiet Place Part II" as a form of rebellion within mainstream commercial cinema. This rebellion serves as an affirmation of narratives driven by women. Notably, it presents an even more daring aspect of gender role reversal, demonstrating how men can grow under female influence.

As mentioned earlier, the son breaks free from the archetype of "those saved" and becomes the protector who wields a gun to safeguard his mother and the baby in the final moments. During this process of transformation, the movie presents a sequence with parallel editing where the daughter kills a monster in the broadcast room, in tandem with the son's actions. The audience witnesses the step-by-step intersection of the daughter and son. The film depicts them gradually merging into one entity, collectively becoming the embodiment of brave guardians defending their home. Notably, there's a scene in which the mother, who was traditionally the protector, watches her son, now protecting the family, while holding the baby. This scene challenges the conventional roles, where the mother transitions from being watched to the watcher as she observes her son.

In the process of this editing, the audience can discern the influence each has had on the other; a reflection of male growth under the protection of females. Furthermore, the narrative relationship between the mother and the children, and the dynamic between watching and being watched, all underscore the profound impact of women in protecting and nurturing the entire family.

Let's not forget the character of the father's friend who witnesses the daughter, despite being alone, making a courageous stand to protect other survivors. In comparison, he, who is initially more experienced, is deeply influenced by her bravery and emerges from his self-imposed constraints. These actions can be seen as major departures from the norm within the context of the film.

Conclusion

"A Quiet Place Part II," as a sequel, not only continues the theme of "women wielding guns to protect their homes," as hinted at the end of the previous film, but also takes the subversion of traditional gender roles to the extreme. It goes further to show the growth of women as they break away from male influence, the tension between male authority and female strength, and even how women can inspire and save others in a post-apocalyptic setting. In this regard, the "A Quiet Place" film series stands as a rebel within mainstream commercial cinema, deserving continued attention and study from both audiences and creators.

The series offers a profound exploration of gender dynamics and challenges traditional stereotypes, emphasizing that women can assert themselves as leaders and protectors while men can evolve and learn under their influence. These films remind us that gender roles are not rigid and can adapt to the changing nature of human relationships. "A Quiet Place Part II" serves as a testament to the evolving landscape of storytelling in cinema, highlighting the importance of diverse perspectives and gender representations. It encourages ongoing discussion and exploration in the realm of gender roles in film and society as a whole.