‘The Vast of Night’ Review: A Sci-Fi Flick Worth Watching

The Vast of Night is the sci-fi flick that will make your weekend when it’s released this week on Prime Video. From the opening, the film throws the audience into a time machine and gets straight to the story, sans any introductions.

We’re jettisoned to a past where black and white television is prominent and switchboard operators are the backbone of the budding phone industry. Sitting in the twilight of the 1950s, we’re introduced to Everett Sloan (Jake Horowitz), a disc jockey in a small town in New Mexico where everyone knows each other. When he’s summoned to fix an electrical problem at the local high school gym, he’s immediately sought by fan-friend Fay Crocker (Sierra McCormick). While at the school, everything continues as they normally would. But once the two leave the school grounds, strange things start to take shape.

I was really impressed with the visuals. Fay didn’t have a bike or a car and walked wherever she needed to go. So when she left the school with Everett, they walked. If she needed something from a friend’s house, she ran. When she needed to get a hold of Everett and couldn’t reach him by phone, she ran. Wherever she ran, the camera followed. There were a handful of parts that skimmed across homes and fields (could’ve been shot by drone) and it added to the realism of what was taking place.

A strange audio frequency was interrupting Fay’s work on her switchboard and interfering with Everett’s broadcast at the radio station. This strange sound that appeared at random on one of the phone lines, sets events in motion that will change their lives forever.

Because the film begins without explanation or backstory, the first few minutes might be confusing and start to drag. Once you put everything together and realize what’s taking place, your mind will be in a much better place. After that, the suspense will reel you in and have you hooked until the film’s end.

I give The Vast of Night an 8 out of 10. The film will be available to stream on Prime Video this Friday, May 29.

-Jon J.