For those patient enough to listen and absorb the dialogue, The Vast of Night is a rewarding and fun diversion.
Sometime in the 1950s, a small town DJ (Jake Horowitz) and a teenage switchboard operator (Sienna McCormick) stumble upon something otherworldly in a small New Mexico town. That’s the premise behind Andrew Patterson’s micro-budget sci-fi feature, The Vast of Night. Usually, I provide more of a plot summary but, in this case, I don’t want to spoil anything story-wise.
The main strength of this film is its performances. Jake Horowitz as Everett, the DJ, and Sienna McCormick as Fay, the switchboard operator, are absolutely stellar. Their rapid-fire, sometimes hard-to-understand, back-and-forth banter comprises the core of the movie. As the movie progresses, the relationship between Everett and Fay hinges on the information they share with each other and the audience. This is a film where a lot is said — not all of it relevant to the plot — and listening is key to unlocking the film’s charm and mystique.
Those craving a science fiction film heavy on alien creatures, special effects, and space battles will find their patience tested as Everett and Fay unravel the mystery. There are no eye-popping effects but there is an intricately woven and atmospheric blanket of paranoia and suspense that drapes the action. References to the Cold War and the Red Scare are casually dropped throughout the film, but there are also plenty of allusions to still-relevant issues as well.
The Vast of Night only stumbles in two key ways. The first is the insistence on occasionally presenting parts of the film as if it were a televised Twilight Zone episode. The script evokes 1950s-era nostalgia quite well on its own. This visual distraction is unnecessary and jarring. Second, there are too many extended tracking shots through the town. While technically impressive, Patterson’s excessive reliance on them starts to feel as if he is simply dragging out the running time on an already short feature.
For those patient enough to listen and absorb the dialogue, The Vast of Night is a rewarding and fun diversion. It doesn’t break any new ground in the genre but it’s gripping enough to warrant a recommendation.
3.5 out of 5.0 stars
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