Examining the plot of the newly streaming sci-fi thriller No One Will Save You may bring up feelings of deja vu. In the new film from writer-director Brian Duffield, an earthbound protagonist is forced to protect her idyllic home from invading aliens in a narrative that unfolds with (almost) no dialogue. With a plot like that, it's hard not to draw comparisons to A Quiet Place, but No One Will Save You is able to utilize its sometimes forced conceit to good enough effect.
Where No One Will Save Youdiffers from the world of A Quiet Place is that the silence is not a plot device, but rather a narrative trick; almost like Duffield was challenging himself to write what is essentially a silent movie but with all the trappings of a modern sci-fi thriller. Luckily, the silent treatment the movie gives the audience mostly works thanks to the star of the film, Kaitlyn Dever.
Dever's performance as Brynn anchors what might have otherwise been an experiment in expressing too-big emotions and utilizing overwrought physicality in order to tell her character's story. Instead, Dever keeps her non-verbal character feeling natural throughout the vast majority of No One Will Save You. In the hands of a less-capable actor, things could have devolved very quickly. Instead, Dever gives audiences someone to root for, an imperfect movie protagonist who lets her actions do the talking.
Without its stylistic limitation, No One Will Save You would come off as a totally boilerplate alien invasion movie, albeit one viewed from the perspective of a small-town resident. Even the design of the extraterrestrial invaders isn't novel. They are the classic grays, complete with big black eyes and oversized craniums. Duffield appears to have (intentionally or not) utilized a Spielbergian lesson by shrouding his CGI creations mostly in darkness, hiding any VFX limitations with low lighting. Other familiar tropes are sprinkled throughout, including the use of tractor beams, flying saucers, and even crop circles. However, No One Will Save You is able to skate by with these clichés thanks to the focus on Brynn.
Introduced to audiences as someone who is clearly uncomfortable being out in public, Brynn is someone who prefers to spend time alone in her idyllic country house. When she is out in public, she is uncomfortable and doing her best not to be noticed by anyone in the town. Of course, there is more to her story than simple social anxiety, having to do with letters she writes to someone named Maude. The mystery of Maude is fairly obvious from the jump, but the plot takes its time getting to the details of what went down between the two.
Eventually, Brynn has the bigger issue of an alien breaking into her house to deal with. It's here that No One Will Save You finds its groove, but unfortunately it's one that can't be maintained throughout the entire runtime. When Duffield lets the story get immersed in full-on home invasion thriller mode, it works perfectly. Dever sells Brynn as someone who is in over her head but also isn't completely helpless. Duffield wisely shoots many of the home invasion scenes from Brynn's point of view, following her around corners, under beds, and into other hiding places. Of course, there are also some more intense action sequences, but it's the quieter, more tense moments that work best. As the story unfolds further, however, and the scope of the alien invasion grows outside of Brynn's home, No One Will Save You begins to lose some of its juice.
There are also some limitations presented by Duffield's storytelling device, despite its novelty. Without any real dialogue (though there are shots of Brynn's letters that reveal some of her inner thoughts), it's hard for Brynn to have a fully satisfying arc. Though Dever is giving a great performance here, there's not much to learn about the character, and there isn't really any opportunity for growth throughout the story, even if her battle to defend her home and herself is compelling. The no-dialogue trick also starts to feel somewhat forced in the very few scenes where Brynn interacts with other people. There's a late scene where Brynn, being dragged around by an alien-possessed townsperson, screams and grunts, but never verbalizes something like "let me go" that feels a little bit unnatural.
No One Will Save You may not be the most original sci-fi story out there, but its trick of telling the entire story without having its characters speak is enough to make this at least something of a curiosity. Much like she has done in other projects like Booksmart and Unbelievable, Dever shows off her considerable acting chops and manages to elevate her character while saying (almost) nothing for the entire runtime. Duffield, who also helmed the well-received Spontaneous has a good eye for building suspense, and his storytelling here is strong even if he is relying on well-worn tropes. It may not make a huge impression, but No One Will Save You might get sci-fi fans talking.
No One Will Save You is streaming now on Hulu in the US and on Disney+ in Canada.
No One Will Save You
An isolated young woman is pushed to her limits as she is forced to defend her home from invading aliens.