ReelBob: ‘The Vast of Night’ ★★★½
By Bob Bloom
“The Vast of Night” is a throwback — an eerie thriller that relies heavily on mood and atmosphere to tell its story.
Set in a small, isolated New Mexico town in the late 1950s, “The Vast of Night” is a feature about the uneasiness and fear of the unknown.
No tricks, such as things that go bump in the night or jump out of the shadows, are used by director Andrew Patterson, making his feature-film debut.
Instead, he relies on strange audio recordings, dropped phone calls, AM radio signals and secret reels of tapes dumped in a library basement to build tension and a sense of foreboding.
Patterson, working from a script he cowrote with James Montague and Craig W. Sanger, signals from the outset what kind of story he is telling.
The film opens with an old black-and-white television set airing a program entitled “Paradox Theater,” a “Twilight Zone”-type show with a Rod Serling-like voiced narrator, with the movie playing as an elongated episode of the series.
The movie never mentions aliens, but various people talk about hearing strange noises and seeing lights in the sky.
“The Vast of Night” rests on the shoulders of two performers: Sierra McCormick as Fay, a 16-year-old switchboard operator, and Jake Horowitz as Everett, a local late-night DJ.
Their relationship is not romantic in the least; it is more, big brother-little sister, and — throughout most of the film — they yell, bicker and chide each other like siblings.
The film plays on our familiarity with our fascination with UFOs, flying saucers, the mysteries surrounding Roswell, N.M., and the secretive Area 51.
Patterson uses a very deliberate pace to advance the movie. He tantalizes us with clues and breadcrumbs, heightening suspense while keeping us glued to on-screen events.
It is to Patterson’s adeptness as a filmmaker that nothing really happens on screen. The movie is basically dialogue between Everett and callers who have heard and recorded similar noises like the one Fay picks up over one of her phone lines.
The movie is a mere 90 minutes, but it feels longer; not because it is boring, but because Patterson smartly milks every situation to its fullest before moving on to the next sequence.
The performances by McCormick and Horowitz carry the movie. She is, at times, annoyingly inquisitive and judgmental, while he is cocky and condescending to his young friend.
Still, their chemistry is palatable as they work together trying to solve the riddle of what they are hearing and experiencing.
In “The Vast of Night,” the sound design and editing are the technical stars. They go far to create a tone of uneasiness and dread that grips you in a bearhug of anticipation. Every bit of static, bright light and sound makes you await the worst.
“The Vast of Night” is a small gem. It makes you ponder what is in the sky as well as what more Patterson can do here on Earth.
The movie is an excellent example of how imagination, smart writing and fine performances can overcome a small budget without the need of fancy special effects.
I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My reviews appear at ReelBob (reelbob.com) and Rottentomatoes (www.rottentomatoes.com). I also review Blu-rays and DVDs. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com or on Twitter @ReelBobBloom. Links to my reviews can be found on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
THE VAST OF NIGHT
3½ stars out of 4
(PG-13), language