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Movies and TV shows have often explored the idea that there might be something “out there,” beyond our planet. And in Amazon’s The Vast of Night, a couple of kids from the ‘50s get caught up in a search for answers when an unusual sound disrupts the airwaves.
The Vast of Night follows two young people through an out-of-this-world adventure. As most of the residents of Cayuga, New Mexico, gather at the first high school basketball game of the season, Fay Crocker (Sierra McCormick) is manning the switchboard, connecting the few calls coming into town while listening to her DJ friend Everett (Jake Horowitz) on the radio. But then a strange disturbance in the radio signal—and a strange call through to the switchboard—bring the two together to uncover a secret that’s been kept quiet for years.
Inspired by The Twilight Zone and set up as an episode of a similar series called Paradox Theater, The Vast of Night combines a small-town period setting with a perfectly eerie score and a gripping story to create a captivating and delightfully nostalgic sci-fi thriller. The story itself is pretty simple: a strange noise sets the stage for some mysterious events and a couple of creepy revelations. But it all comes together in a way that builds its suspense slowly but surely until you’ll realize that you’re leaning forward and holding your breath.
Along the way, the charming main characters help to capture that ‘50s feel: the worldly DJ with his dark-rimmed glasses and his big dreams and his flair for the dramatic and the fast-talking young switchboard operator who worries that she’ll be stuck in her small town forever. They’re classic ‘50s characters that help to put viewers right in the time period. But they’re also backed by a solid supporting cast to make the setting and the story come alive.
It’s fitting, really, that The Vast of Night first opened in drive-in theaters before moving on to its on-demand release—because its classic feel and its otherworldly suspense seem perfect for a cool, dark night, an enormous screen, and crickets chirping in the background. But if you don’t have an old-school drive-in nearby, a dark room on a quiet night will do the trick, too.
If you love the classic out-of-this-world mystery and suspense of The Twilight Zone, The Vast of Night is definitely a must-see. And if you haven’t see those old classics before, this will definitely inspire you to seek them out.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
