With delayed movies now hitting the cinema screen, film reviewer Paul Steward looks at sequel A Quiet Place Part II.

Long delayed but much anticipated, the follow-up to John Krasinski's 2018 surprise hit A Quiet Place finally sees the light of day now cinemas have reopened.

Again directed by Krasinski and staring his wife Emily Blunt, the film follows on directly from the events of the first film and continues the story of the Abbott family as they venture into the unknown in search of safety.

Following the destruction of their family home, Evelyn (Blunt) must carefully embark on this journey with her two children and newborn baby as silently as possible, for any noise will attract vicious alien predators who hunt by sound.

Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe return as Abbott kids Regan and Marcus, while Cillian Murphy joins the cast as their morally ambiguous former neighbour Emmett, who may or may not be willing to offer them a safe haven.

As well as continuing the story, we also open with a tremendous action-packed prologue which flashes back to day one and sees writer/director Krasinski reprise his role as family patriarch Lee Abbott.

The original was planned as a stand-alone film and at first Krasinski turned down the chance to helm a sequel, but was tempted back when studio Paramount began looking around for other writers and asked him for story ideas.

Like the first film, Part II is an incredibly tense experience.

The constant feeling of dread remains, but the scope is expanded beyond just the Abbott family as we are introduced to new characters and the wider implications of this worldwide invasion are explored.

Blunt and Jupe are both excellent, while Murphy is a welcome addition to the cast, adding an interesting new dynamic as the conflicted Emmett.

However, it’s Simmonds, who is also deaf in real life, who is the film's star. This time her character Regan becomes the lead as she attempts to harness the new-found potential of her hearing aid and weaponise it on a much wider scale.

The actress' displays of raw emotion are completely captivating, especially when Krasinski switches the audio to Regan’s point of view, allowing the audience to experience the same muted soundscape as the character.

A clever trick which enhances the tension tenfold.

If there are criticisms to be made, it’s that the film feels less like a self contained movie and more like the middle part of an ongoing story.

But in all honesty, if you haven’t been tempted to watch part one in the last three years, you’re unlikely to be jumping straight in at this point.

An engaging and slick sequel, which builds on the fascinating world developed in the original, A Quiet Place Part II is as nerve-shredding as its predecessor, once again delivering horror thrills and heart-stopping tension.