A Quiet Place: Day One isn’t at all what one might expect based on the first two films. It is altogether different in emphasis, tone, and degree of warmth. It’s a well-crafted and well-acted prequel to the other two films, but something of surprise, or in my case, a disappointment.

Lead actress Lupito Nyong’o (Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for 12 Years a Slave—well deserved) is at the center of the film, dominating nearly every frame. I would like to say that she is at the heart of the film, but there is little heart in the film at all. Of course, the world of film always has a place for a solid, cool, incredibly intense indie-feel film with a good budget. But when you think you might get to at least enjoy relatable characters and character interaction as in the first two films, this film feels like a letdown. Nevertheless, Nyong’o gives a powerhouse if muted performance (I’m tempted to spoil as to why, but you’ll have to see the film or read about it).

I couldn’t help thinking of Martin Sheen in Apocalypse Now, Shelley Duvall in The Shining, or especially Dakota Fanning in War of the Worlds, a film that seemed to keep the young actress in a prolonged state of terror. That’s pretty much what Nyong’o is asked to do, and she does it predictably well. There is a slow character ark for her that probably worked in the script, and can work mentally for the viewer, but it’s perhaps just a bit too subtle to grab the heart. It’s a demonstration of great skill, and not many actors can handle the stillness, then the terror, and then the long close-ups the film demands of her. We respect the talent of the actress, and can at least superficially buy into her predicament pre-monster-attack. But the film makes it hard to connect with her on a deeper level.

Three other characters that could have made a difference in that regard, but don’t, are the three other key male actors. Alex Wolf  (Oppenheimer, Pig) plays Reuben, and we very quickly warm to him and suspect he will be at least the one that carries our support throughout the film. (Spoiler alert) But he is taken out early in a way that robs the film of an engaging and accessible presence. Then there is the wonderfully talented (and seemingly ageless Djimon Hounsou (Best Supporting Actor nods for Blood Diamond and In America, but perhaps best known for Gladiator and Amistad.) He appeared in a role in A Quiet Place Part II, which might have suggested a greater role for him here, but his charm and charisma are limited to just a few scenes, and he is wasted here, frustratingly so, and viewers are denied exposure to someone with a great screen presence.

Lastly, there is the confusing character of Eric, played by Joseph Quinn (“Stranger Things,” “Game of Thrones”). Eric is supposed to be a lawyer obviously traumatized by the creatures’ attack on the city. But his behavior in the first half of his performance seems so hesitant, confusing, and unfocused that it is difficult to sympathize with his ill-defined plight; I can only speculate that there is the director’s choice rather than the actor’s. Unfortunately, since we don’t really know what he is working out other than general trauma, and his behavior is difficult to connect with, the film loses yet another opportunity to draw us in emotionally. Fortunately, Eric lasts long enough to add more dimensions to his character, as the film goes on, and by the end of the film, we genuinely care for him and can relate to him. But by then, it’s too little too late.

Even the now-famous Frodo the cat (played by two cats) was not computer generated as it might seem. But that only adds to the distraction away from the main characters. The “performances” pulled out of them are so unusual and real-looking that I spent most of my time wondering if they were CG. They aren’t. But if you know that going in, it’s still a distraction in that the cat becomes the center of the film, and yes, even the heart at times, and does things that take you out of the film in awe and respect.

The monsters are many and well executed; the film certainly has more jump scares than the first, and at least as many as the second film. The sound and editing are excellent as well. There are moments that the film aspires to be a horror film as directed by Denis Villeneuve (the two Dune films, Arrival and Blade Runner 2049), but not as deftly done and certainly not as emotionally satisfying as those films. Villeneuve is not the warmest of directors, but he is visually brilliant and is an excellent craftsman. This is not as well-crafted and lacks even the minimal warmth of Villeneuve’s work, much less the relatable plot line and relationships of the previous two films.

As a stand-alone film, A Quiet Place: Day One is an interesting experimental film loosely based on the events of the two other more popular film. It may signal the appearance of a future major director in Michael Sarnoski (Pig). But for now, it’s not the entry into the franchise that most of us expected, or would be expected to enjoy.