History Headscratchers / AQuietPlace

* So these creatures were able to nearly wipe out humanity, being impervious to all manner of weapons and can hunt via their hyper acute hearing... and we find out their weakness is [[spoiler: high pitched frequencies.]] Their weakness is ''so stupidly obvious'' and you're telling this troper that NO ONE could figure this out? The planet's military and intelligence operations couldn't nail down its incredibly obvious and exploitable weakness? REALLY?
** [[spoiler: The family only found it on accident, and Krasinski does appear to be taking a jab at how our militaries and governments are useless.]]
*** Not just that, governments and militaries, when it comes to solutions, they tend to go with quick and short-term, thus they would go with just giving the monsters all they got vs trying to sort out what to really use and, with how the monsters work, they were probably didn't have the chance to actually test any proposed theory (without setting the monsters off). Likewise, there aren't too many things that make high-pitched sounds of that frequency that are actually, well, audible (dog whistles are high-frequency but they're practically quiet, except on a supersonic level). However, be this as noted, we only get this family and this country's view, so it's possible (though unlikely), somewhere else, some people or person may have figured it out, too, but they haven't a weapon to fight them off besides deterring them.

*** Don't a small but significant number of modern machines, devices, and vehicles use high pitched noises as well? Did none of the hundred of thousands, maybe millions of soldiers involved in the conflict have hearing aids of their own that could have gone off during the chaos? Did none of the seven billion humans on earth accidentally set off a high frequency noise during the pan-global assault? And aren't there any number of wild animals that use high-pitched calls and communication in the natural world that would have affected any monster in the near vicinity? It just seems odd that there wouldn't be one or two flukes that would have keyed humanity in on the creature's primary weakness.

** It is probably a combination of [[spoiler: the frequency and the particular mechanics of the hearing aid]] that causes that reaction. Note in the climax that the monster was annoyed by the other radio equipment but NOT driven off by it. Considering how fast and deadly the monsters are, random chance doesn't necessarily translate into a viable countermeasure. It took the characters a long time to make that connection, mostly because [[spoiler: Regan was the only one experiencing that feedback and the first time it happened she didn't even know the monster was behind her]].
*** Sounds fair but it wasn't the radio equipment that annoyed it initially, it was the [=TV=]s. The [[spoiler: frequency is what drove it off and, when amplified, disoriented it enough]].
** Even worse: the creatures are able to pierce through the metal silo when enraged by the piercing sound; otherwise, when ''attacking'', they can't even slash through an old truck's roof (and that one failed to notice the big opening ''it itself made'' when it ripped the door off). Which means any decently armored vehicle or installation should have been perfectly safe from them. Even if we're convinced that bombs and artillery are ineffective against their armor (which is another can of worms), if an attacking creature can't get into a pickup, a bunch of them aren't getting into an M1 Abrams or an APV either.

*** And there are probably many pockets of survivors holed up in armored structures around the globe - at one point, we do get to see a number of bonfires on the horizon. But they'd still need to go out and scrounge up supplies to survive, and how many do you think can manage that for a year without making a sound?
** Not many, unless they live pretty far underground (where any sounds they make would be muffled, even to alien ears)..
* In the opening sequence, the parents took the rocket away from the child and then both left and just assumed he would listen to them. Because kids always listen.
** Actually, Lee took the batteries out of it [[spoiler: Beau got them back as they left the store]], so he didn't exactly take the rocket away, as it was more like, "I'll let you have this, without the batteries" or something like that, though he did hand it Regan. To be more specific, Lee took the batteries out, telling him, "No, it's too loud." and Regan gave the toy back ''without'' said batteries. In terms of Beau, well, [[spoiler: he probably didn't really understand how the toy could be loud enough to attract the monsters]], thus why he gets the batteries.
* Then, the marching order. Both parents in front? You don't want one in back to keep an eye on the kids, make sure they don't wander off or do anything stupid? Having someone "lead from behind" is hiking 101, which you'd think people who had survived so long would know.
** To their credit, the kids, for the longest knew to be quiet [[spoiler: aside from the shuttle incident]], hence why they don't walk in that arrangement, however, there have been cases where parents walked behind and kids got too far ahead, so, mmm, yeah. Likewise, we wouldn't have that emphasis of conflict if they ''didn't'' walk in that arrangement.
* How is a family of four with no heavy machinery able to grow, tend, and harvest all the corn we see?
** They don't. They only harvest what they can by hand, and rely on the stored grain.
*** So then where did it come from? It's all the same size, so it must have been planted at the same time. Four people (two of them children) can't plant that much corn, and it couldn't have been planted before the invasion, since it's been more than 400 days since then, and it would all be dead before then.
** Maybe they stored it, like they did the grain. As a matter of fact, the silo that corn in it, so it's possible they probably sold some corn and grain and kept/stored the rest.
* This might be a minor nitpick, but [[spoiler: if the waterfall was able to mask sound to the point of where one could yell by it without attracting the creatures, then why not camp out and wait so the mother could give birth there? Yes, it's not the best place to give birth, but it seems like it'd give much more protection and they wouldn't have to struggle to be as quiet, or worry about the infant crying.]] Granted, [[spoiler: the plan they did have worked fine]] so I can't really complain.
** Maybe they didn't do that because she was too far along and then there's the issue of the [[spoiler: baby being born]], along with moving a large amount of equipment (notice how they've been traveling light in any scenes we see them out?)
** Perhaps they DID plan that, and allow her to scream to her heart's content but the actual childbirth was, according to the meticulously-kept calendar, two to three weeks ahead of schedule. It was ''such'' a surprise, that the husband and the son were taking what seemed to be a multi-day trip when it happened.
** [[spoiler:I was wondering why they didn't try to set up white noise around the house with some tvs, radios and some speakers. I'd be raiding the first electronic store I could find if I knew you could drown out sounds with a waterfall, and maybe a music shop for amplifiers, synthesizers etc. Like seriously, have a Mini-Moog going 24-7 and then have it make high-pitch noise when you discover that trick with the hearing aid. ]]

* Why would the parents decide to have another baby? The monsters are attracted to loud noise, and babies cry all the time. Not to mention they already have two children to look after.
** I kind of took it that her pregnancy might have been unintentional and termination in their circumstances would be a non-option (as there wouldn't be any doctors).
* Who were the old couple? Were the Abbots supposed to be familiar with them or despite using this path past the house where they presumably lived for years only now encountered them?
** Probably just random characters who, up until that point, managed to evade the monsters before the wife made a sound and happened upon Lee and Marcus.

*** Sounds fair but it wasn't the radio equipment that annoyed it initially, it was the [=TV=]s. The [[spoiler: frequency is what drove it off and, when amplified, it disoriented enough]].

** Not many, unless they live pretty far underground.

** If the scene in the town is an indication, there probably wouldn't any of those things left (it already looked plenty looted), along with the white noise would probably piss them off (i.e, the [[spoiler: climax in the basement]] with the [=TVs=]), that, and a misstep in setting up the equipment would probably produce a sound loud enough to attract them.

** I kind of took it that her pregnancy might have been unintentional and termination in their circumstances would be a non option (as there wouldn't be any doctors).
* Who were the old couple? Were the Abbots supposed to be familair with them or despite using this path past the house where they presumably lived for years only now encountered them?

*** And there are probably many pockets of survivors holed up in armoured structures around the globe - at one point, we do get to see a number of bonfires on the horizon. But they'd still need to go out and scrounge up supplies to survive, and how many do you think can manage that for a year without making a sound?
** It is probably a combination of [[spoiler: the frequency and the particular mechanics of the hearing aid]] that causes that reaction. Note in the climax that the monster was annoyed by the other radio equipment but NOT driven off by it. Considering how fast and deadly the monsters are, random chance doesn't necessarily translate into a viable countermeasure. It took the characters a long time to make that connection, mostly because [[spoiler: Regan was the only one experiencing that feedback and the first time it happened she didn't even know the monster was behind her]].

** Probably just random characters who, up until that point, managed to evade the monsters before the wife made a sound and happened upon Lee and Marcus.

*** So then where did it come from? It's all the same size, so it must have been planted at the same time. Four people (two of them children) can't plant that much corn, and it couldn't have been planted before the invasion, since it's been more than 400 since then, and it would all be dead before then.

** Probably just random characters who, up until that point, managed to evade the monsters up until that point and happened upon Lee and Marcus.

** I was wondering why they didn't try to set up white noise around the house with some tvs, radios and some speakers. I'd be raiding the first electronic store I could find if I knew you could drown out sounds with a waterfall, and maybe a music shop for amplifiers, synthesizers etc.

*** ''Or'' it’s a fairly obvious plot hole.

* Who were the old couple? Were the Abbots supposed to be familair with them or despite using this path past the house where they presumably lived for years only now encountered them?

* Who were the old couple? Were the Abbots supposed to be familair with them or despite using this path for years only now encountered them now?

* Why would the parents decide to have another baby? The monsters are attracted to loud noise, and babies cry all the time. Not to mention they already have two children to look after.

** Perhaps they DID plan that, and allow her to scream to her heart's content but the actual childbirth was, according to the meticulously-kept calendar, two to three weeks ahead of schedule. It was ''such'' a surprise, that the husband and the son were taking what seemed to be a multi-day trip when it happened.

** Even worse: the creatures are able to pierce through the metal silo when enraged by the piercing sound; otherwise, when ''attacking'', they can't even slash through an old truck's roof. Which means any decently armored vehicle or installation should have been perfectly safe from them. Even if we're convinced that bombs and artillery are ineffective against their armor (which is another can of worms), if an attacking creature can't get into a pickup, a bunch of them aren't getting into an M1 Abrams or an APV either.

** Maybe they didn't do that because she was too far along and then there's the issue of the [[spoiler: baby being born]], along with moving a large amount of equipment (notice how they've been traveling light in any scenes we see them out?)

* In the opening sequence, the parents took the rocket away from the child and then both left and just assumed he would listen to them. Because kids always listen.

* This might be a minor nitpick, but [[spoiler: if the waterfall was able to mask sound to the point of where one could yell by it without attracting the creatures, then why not camp out and wait so the mother could give birth there? Yes, it's not the best place to give birth, but it seems like it'd give much more protection and they wouldn't have to struggle to be as quiet, or worry about the infant crying.]] Granted, [[spoiler: the plan they did have worked fine]] so I can't really complain.

* How is a family of four with no heavy machinery able to grow, tend, and harvest all the corn we see?

** To their credit, the kids, for the longest knew to be quiet [[spoiler: aside from the shuttle incident]], hence why they don't walk in that arrangement, however, there have been cases where parents walked behind and kids got too far ahead, so, mmm, yeah. Likewise, we wouldn't have that emphasis of conflict if they ''didn't'' walk in that arrangement.

* Then, the marching order. Both parents in front? You don't want one in back to keep an eye on the kids, make sure they don't wander off or do anything stupid? Having someone "lead from behind" is hiking 101, which you'd think people who had survived so long would know.

** [[spoiler: The family only found it on accident, and Krasinski does appear to be taking a jab at how our militaries and governments are useless.]]

* So these creatures were able to nearly wipe out humanity, being impervious to all manner of weapons and can hunt via their hyper acute hearing... and we find out their weakness is [[spoiler: high pitched frequencies.]] Their weakness is ''so stupidly obvious'' and you're telling this troper that NO ONE could figure this out? The planet's military and intelligence operations couldn't nail down it's incredibly obvious and exploitable weakness? REALLY?

* So these creatures were able to nearly wipe out humanity, being impervious to all manner of weapons and can hunt via their hyper acute hearing... and we find out their weakness is [[spoiler: high pitched frequencies.]] Their weakness is ''so stupidly obvious'' and you're telling this troper that NO ONE could figure this out? The planet's military and intelligence operations couldn't nail down it's incredibly obvious and exploitable weakness? REALLY?