The Vast of Night

Amazon Studios | Release Date (Streaming): May 29, 2020

6.5	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 156 Ratings

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Brent_MarchantFeb 15, 2021

I waited a long time to see this, and, now that I finally have, I can honestly say it wasn't at all worth it. This quasi-kitschy sci-fi offering exclusively from Amazon Prime is stylishly filmed with an inventive sound design, but that'sI waited a long time to see this, and, now that I finally have, I can honestly say it wasn't at all worth it. This quasi-kitschy sci-fi offering exclusively from Amazon Prime is stylishly filmed with an inventive sound design, but that's about it. The tediously long-winded monologues in which characters expound on their allegedly extraordinary experiences are far from groundbreaking and told in such painfully dull detail that they could put even hard core insomniacs to sleep. If you're interested in hearing a more compelling account about lights in the sky and alien abduction, just tune in to any episode of Coast to Coast AM radio on the subject; you'll be better rewarded there. The treatment of such material here is so ordinary and already familiar that there is absolutely nothing new, original or imaginative about it. Even the camp factor, which could have been played up for laughs to relieve the incessant boredom, is largely left on the table. How this ended up on a number of Top 10 lists for 2019 is beyond me.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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Bigguy00Jun 17, 2020

This is like the tastiest looking food that when you actually eat it the aftertaste is bitter. This homage to the original Twilight Zone succeeds on an artistic level. The photography, the dialog and the acting are first rate. The TwilightThis is like the tastiest looking food that when you actually eat it the aftertaste is bitter. This homage to the original Twilight Zone succeeds on an artistic level. The photography, the dialog and the acting are first rate. The Twilight Zone delighted with unpredictable endings. This one chooses the most obvious conclusion possible. I kept waiting for a twist but just got credits. It would have made a better conclusion to just leave it a cliff hanger. What a waste of 3/4 of a potentially great film.… Expand

5 of 6 users found this helpful51

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GdgipMay 30, 2020

This isn’t a bad movie the photography is very beautiful, but you can’t tell me the acting was good or that the script was engrossing enough to justify staring at people with emotionless expressions for long stretches. Rule breaking in theThis isn’t a bad movie the photography is very beautiful, but you can’t tell me the acting was good or that the script was engrossing enough to justify staring at people with emotionless expressions for long stretches. Rule breaking in the editing room isn’t fresh and would be aesthetically un pleasing to anyone who wasn’t looking to give the production bonus points for being novel. There is no payoff.… Expand

5 of 6 users found this helpful51

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JLuis_001Jun 13, 2020

The film looks good. It has a pretty cool atmosphere and a great tone.
Those elements are very significant, because the film focuses on them to put you inside the situation with its strong aura of suspense; I mean it’s completely obvious thatThe film looks good. It has a pretty cool atmosphere and a great tone.
Those elements are very significant, because the film focuses on them to put you inside the situation with its strong aura of suspense; I mean it’s completely obvious that this is inspired by The Twilight Zone, because at all time it feels like that.

But as remarkable as these elements can be, ultimately, those same elements don't make up for a story that never manages to evolve.

And after all, and despite the short duration, The Vast of Night makes it clear that there isn't much to salvage to distinguish itself for being more than it really is.
On top of that, we have fairly regular performances and an unsatisfactory conclusion.

I give it a lot of credit for what it achieves with such a small budget, but its strongest elements only manage to take it to a certain point, the other elements had to do the rest, and in my opinion, they weren't successful.

But it is fair to emphasize that being a debut; it's a worthy presentation and perhaps a promise of something better to come.… Expand

4 of 5 users found this helpful41

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FatLadRossJun 1, 2020

I agree with some other people here, the opening scene in the basketball court is practically impossible to follow. This is due to awful sound mixing and the fact that the main character has a tab (cigarette) hanging out his mouth andI agree with some other people here, the opening scene in the basketball court is practically impossible to follow. This is due to awful sound mixing and the fact that the main character has a tab (cigarette) hanging out his mouth and mumbles. After 15 minutes I still didn't understand who was who, why there was a trombone involved and where the 2 main characters were going. It didn't get much better, many names are included but we don't know any of the actual people. Gave up after 40 minutes as my head hurt.......I can honestly say that this has been overrated by the press reviewers.… Expand

9 of 12 users found this helpful93

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EvilpooMay 31, 2020

The vast of how to make a movie with 50 dollars. The trend of the meta crisis era

6 of 9 users found this helpful63

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jimmypowderMay 31, 2020

Sorry but i couldn't get past the opening basketball scene. And who did the sound mixing for this movie? Just horrific.

7 of 12 users found this helpful75

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DukeJonAug 16, 2020

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Was looking forward to this ultimately found it to be disappointing. First off, the pacing is all over the place. Starts off very slowly, with far too much dialogue and not enough explanation. The whole beginning scene at the stadium is very difficult to follow and, ultimately, of no consequence to what happens in the rest of the film. Bad audio mixing doesn't help. Then from the reveal by the caller and old lady it rushes to a conclusion. A lot of things don't make sense, why would the army and airforce not have been called in once the reports of UFOs started? Why do the two main leads spend so much time running around in the dark when they know aliens are around? I also didn't like the fact the explanations for what was going on fell into their lap; they didn't figure anything out for themselves. Once they did meet the flying saucer it looked like a car hub cap. Overall everything here has been done much better in other films such as super-8, invasion of the body snatchers and, of course, the gold-standard; close encounters of the third kind.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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