The Silence

Creatures that hunt by sound have plunged the world into danger. Ally, a deaf teenage girl, and her family try to stay alive by moving quietly and staying off the radar outside the city. They shelter in a remote home, hoping silence will shield them from predation. But their quiet refuge is complicated when they encounter a mysterious cult with rigid beliefs and unpredictable threats. As danger closes in from both the predators and the secret group, the family must rely on trust, cunning, and the fragile bond between them to endure a night that tests every nerve. The soundscape becomes another character, shaping fear as much as the creatures themselves.

Directed by John R. Leonetti, The Silence adapts Tim Lebbon's novel The Silence for the screen with Carey van Dyke and Shane van Dyke writing the adaptation. It was released in 2019, with Netflix distributing worldwide.

Box office earnings were modest, with a worldwide gross of 2,325,977 dollars, reflecting a niche audience drawn to tense atmospheres and family survival stories rather than broad blockbuster appeal in 2019.

While it built a decent cast and a memorable premise, The Silence leaves a small cultural footprint. There are no iconic lines widely quoted, and the film tends to be recalled as a horror thriller. Performances by Shipka and Tucci help elevate the film, but the story stays lean.

Reception and themes: The film drew mixed reviews, with critics praising the tense atmosphere and the performances of Kiernan Shipka as Ally and Stanley Tucci as Hugh. Some reviewers noted that the sound based premise is used effectively to heighten suspense, particularly in quiet scenes where a single breath can become a threat. Others criticized pacing, predictability, and a screenplay that sometimes folds the premise into familiar horror beats. Thematically the film centers on a tight family unit pushing past fear, the burden of silence as protection, and questions about trust and moral compromise when survival feels like a choice between noise and danger.