A nostalgic sci-fi thriller has been hailed as “criminally underrated” on Rotten Tomatoes. The Vast of Night (2019), set in the fictional sleepy town of Cayuga, New Mexico, tells the story of young switchboard operator Fay Crocker (played by Sierra McCormick) and radio DJ Everett Sloan (Jake Horowitz) who stumble upon a mysterious frequency they can’t explain.
The 1950s film was directed by Andrew Patterson, who also co-wrote it under the pseudonym James Montague with Craig W. Sanger. Patterson, who financed the film himself, previously told IndieWire that it was made with a micro-budget of $700,000, plus post-production and marketing costs.
Fans were taken with The Vast of Night’s nostalgic charm, and evocation of an era in the US when tales of flying saucers were at their height following a number of high-profile supposed sightings.
One Audience Reviewer called it an “absolutely stunning film with performances to match”.
“What a bold director debut to use such long shots, and to have such faith in your actors,” they continued. “Whip smart writing and cinematography. Looking forward to seeing more of this director’s work.”
Another said: “Really great nostalgic sci-fi that kept my eyes glued to the screen with curiosity. Excellent ending, but I wasn’t ready for it to be over yet.”
A third added: “The Vast of Night is a love letter to the Twilight Zone and sci-fi nerds (like me!) This criminally underrated film uses its small budget to its advantage.”
A fifth said: “A wonderful tale of mystery, narrated with old-school elegance and style. The cinematography may seem simple, but the shots are being masterfully used in order to create a gripping atmosphere.
“The movie feels grounded, but also ready to reach for the sky anytime.
However, they added The Vast of Night’s “only small flaw is that it drags a bit in the first 20 minutes or so and there’s a risk that younger viewers that are used to the faster pacing of modern cinema may feel tempted to quit waiting for the plot to move forward, which it definitely does, not fast, but gracefully”.
It also got a positive critical reception, and has an impressive 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer (which reflects the percentage of Approved Tomatometer Critics who have given it a positive review).
The Vast of Night is streaming now on Netflix.