The Vast of Night

(2,405)IMDb 6.71h 30min2020X-RayHDRUHDPG-13

In the twilight of the 1950s, on one fateful night in New Mexico, a young switchboard operator Fay (Sierra McCormick) and charismatic radio DJ Everett (Jake Horowitz) discover a strange audio frequency that could change their small town and the future forever.

Directors: Andrew Patterson

Starring: Sierra McCormick Jake Horowitz Gail Cronauer

Genres: Drama Science Fiction Suspense

Subtitles: English [CC]العربيةmore…DanskDeutschEspañol (Latinoamérica)Español (España)SuomiFilipinoFrançaisעבריתहिन्दीIndonesiaItaliano日本語한국어Bahasa MelayuNorsk BokmålNederlandsPolskiPortuguês (Brasil)Português (Portugal)РусскийSvenskaதமிழ்తెలుగుไทยTürkçe中文（简体）中文（繁體）

Audio languages: EnglishEnglish [Audio Description]more…DeutschEspañol (España)Español (Latinoamérica)FrançaisItalianoPortuguês日本語

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More details

Supporting actors: Bruce Davis Cheyenne Barton Gregory Peyton

Producers: Adam Dietrich Melissa Kirkendall James Montague

Studio: Amazon Studios

MPAA rating: PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned)

Purchase rights: Stream instantly Details

Format: Prime Video (streaming online video)

Devices: Available to watch on supported devices

Customer reviews

5 star		41%
4 star		15%
3 star		8%
2 star		14%
1 star		22%

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KrisAK

Skillfully done, but ultimately feels like a formal exercise in filmmaking

Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2020

Verified Purchase

I guess I'm in the minority, but I was terribly disappointed. I loved Pontypool, X-Files, Stranger Things, etc. (films the hype machine around this film constantly mention), and appreciate a good slow-burn, but I found this film to be almost unbearable. Much too self conscious, from the sound design to the long takes to the (frequently stunning) camerawork, everything seemed designed to call attention to itself, rather than to reinforce the telling of a story. Callbacks to Welles and Lynch and Hawks and Altman come fast and furious, and are sure to ingratiate the film to the critics (who, predictably enough, have responded), but the collective effect is too much and yet too little. The biggest problem is that I have ZERO interest in the characters, who run through this landscape in what feels like nothing more than a formal exercise in filmmaking. Blood Simple was another exercise in show-off, formal indie filmmaking. But that film had a tightly wound clockwork story from which to hang all those cinematic nick-knacks. Here, there’s just a hollowed-out sci-fi shell.

FWIW - ‘Cosmos’ is another low budget indie sci-fi playing on Amazon. It takes a very different approach, but worth a look if only for comparison’s sake.

424 people found this helpful

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ChrisP

An instant sci-fi classic

Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2020

Verified Purchase

"The Vast of Night" explores its simple, familiar sci-fi premise in stunningly fresh execution.

Framed as an episode of a creepy, late 50s TV show styled after Rod Serling's "Twilight Zone" and set in Cayuga, New Mexico (a nod to Serling's Cayuga Productions company), the film breaks from there into a note-perfect period thriller. It's unlike anything you've ever seen: convincing, engrossing science fiction without big-budget special effects, dense with character and dialogue, moody and dazzling in camera work and score. The performances are uniformly excellent.

The film follows two nerdy teens as they unravel the mystery of eery static interference in a small town's telephone switchboard and local radio station.

On basic principle, I hesitated to give this film 5 stars, but could find no reason for any less. This one is worth the large popcorn with butter.

220 people found this helpful

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Kindle Customer

Top-Notch Science Fiction Suspense Story

Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2020

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It was suspenseful and kept me guessing... The conversation with Billy was really spooky and paranoia-inducing, even though Billy is never seen in the film. The elderly widow's story was really gripping, told with urgent intimacy. The two main characters appeared really invested in their roles. Meticulous attention to detail throughout the story with respect to the setting, the technology, the clothing, and hairstyles. Also, even the minor characters were authentic. The continuous shot that started from outside the basketball game, then through it, then up into the seats, and out the window had me stumped. I wondered how they pulled it off. GREAT JOB, FILMMAKERS! This was a well-told story.

176 people found this helpful

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HershonJones

90 Minutes I'll Never Get Back Don't Trust the Media Its Mediocre at Best Beware!

Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2020

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The Media was raving about this which is why you should never trust the Media. This seems like a College Film Class Movie made by people who at best will go on to make Direct to Video Tax Write Offs. And what is with a 16 year old girl hanging with a young adult?

As Shakespeare wrote, this is Much Ado about Nothing.

156 people found this helpful

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Jon C. Francke

Wanted to like it.

Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2020

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Very uneven, low budget effort. Some nice period details, bogged down by long expository scenes that reinforced a familiar story. One really showy, stylized tracking shot was really conspicuous amidst the otherwise mundane, often dim visuals.

157 people found this helpful

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Corey

Atmospheric Sci-Fi Radio Play

Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2020

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This film should really have started approximately 19 minutes in, with the female lead at her work. The exposition is not without merit, as it establishes small-town atmosphere; but does not advance the story. Nor does the framing device, an homage to the Twilight Zone. These comes across as indulgences, rather than necessities. The middle section of the film could have included any information lost in the exposition, as dialogue between Everett and Fay. What's effective, even brilliant, is the film's approach to audio. Tape recorders, microphones, mid-20th-Century telephony (analog phones, a switchboard), a radio station, all serve characters who speak to and record each other through these devices. The attention not only to sound itself (as communication, as score), but to the process of capturing and re-creating sound makes this production come across as a radio play presented in a unique way, as a movie. Eager to see what the filmmakers come up with next.

120 people found this helpful

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Kevin J

Awesome Movie!!!

Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2020

Verified Purchase

Great movie, so great I'm about to watch it again, lol...this is Sci-Fi done right!!! EDIT: The scene where Billy is telling his story was AMAZING!!! I seriously had to add that...probably my favorite scene in the movie, that and the ending.

115 people found this helpful

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Linda P.

Ray Bradbury and The Twilight Zone

Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2020

Verified Purchase

This film is marvelous, very much in the spirit of The Twilight Zone and Ray Bradbury. The acting is natural and understated, the plot, imaginative, the cinematography, creative, the music, carefully selected, and the whole production successfully immerses the viewer into the story. Thank you for this film!

115 people found this helpful

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