ST. LOUIS — Does a premise concerning a couple teenagers discovering a UFO presence in New Mexico in the 1950's sound like an invitation up your cinematic alley?
If so, Andrew Patterson's film should hold your attention for its 89 minute running time. With style to spare and top notch sound mixing and production design, "The Vast of Night" doesn't waste much time in immersing the viewer in its isolated world of discovery. Fay (Sierra McCormick) and Everett (Jake Horowitz) are a radio switchboard operator and DJ, respectively, who hear sounds and a particular frequency that could lead to an alien presence. The rest shouldn't be foreign territory to anyone who likes science fiction flicks.
What James Montague and Craig W. Sanger do with their script here is take on the material at an entirely new angle. It's not discovery, mass hysteria, and a newfound acceptance. "The Vast of Night" goes the other way.
This is as slow of a burn as a movie surrounding UFOs can be. Much like the indie film, "Cosmos," the location of the action is generally relegated to a single location and the dialogue is quick and endless. You can't turn away from the dark wonder being conjured up here. Horowitz fares better than McCormick in their roles, with the former finding a good speed as a fast-talking DJ with radio principles blocking his outside the box curiosity. McCormick has her own moments, but didn't leave as much of a dent.
Here's the thing. This is a painfully slow movie for the first 45 minutes with a visual palette that is hard to make out at times. Patterson and his DP decided to make a movie that looks and sounds like a film that was made in the 1950's. While I appreciate the uniqueness in their goals, the follow-through doesn't always make for an easy watch. I thought there was a problem with my computer at times, but then the picture would return and I would be right as rain again.
Here's another thing. I didn't love and adore this film. Something about it felt distant and remedial. In my opinion, "Cosmos," which handles similar material in a different era, grabbed your attention quicker and built up its suspense in better increments. Since you are dealing with a plot that has been dissected in multiple ways, finding similar tones and speeds is a byproduct of the overpopulated area of "did you see that in the sky" pictures. "The Vast of Night" has a look and boatloads of style points but story wise, it doesn't punch as hard as I figured it would.
What Patterson and company do pull off well is the big reveal in the end. When the two kids go out to that field and look up, the film delivers that payoff that you have been waiting for. The incentive to stick it out for the longer-than-it-seems 90 minutes is met with a visual moment that should make the experience semi-worthwhile. The follow-up twist seen at the very end is also well done and leaves some water on the lips as the credits roll.
I just wish the film had done more with its first 45-60 minutes. It is going to lose many viewers with its dialogue overload and dark noir-type visual effects before the big moment can happen. The unfortunate yet very true fact is that movies right now are competing with television shows, documentaries, and the rest of the lot for attention. A movie has to do more to stand out now that it's debuting on the streaming network's turf and arena. People are going to ask themselves if this movie or the latest Amazon or Netflix show is worth their time.
I am going to tell you that as much as I liked the finale, "The Vast of Night" could qualify as a film that is easier to admire than love. I wasn't disappointed but it's not a stretch to say I wanted more from Patterson's film.
What's the final thought? If you crave a different kind of UFO tale and have patience, "The Vast of Night" is for you. If you want a film to grab your attention quickly and deliver throughout the running time, this may not be your flick. It takes its time meandering around plot points and getting to the big moment, which hinders some of its impact.
Rating? I'd say 2.5 cups of coffee out of a full pot.
