The Vast of Night

"Disappointingly, for all the wonder conjured by the engrossing and enigmatic narrative, the story leads to a place that feels painfully stale and familiar. In a way, the movie prepares you for what’s ahead with an opening that presents The Vast of Night as an episode of a retro sci-fi show (even its writers, James Montague and Craig W Sanger, are credited for their “teleplay”). That might be fine with those looking for an old-old-old-school treat, but with filmmaking this cinematic, its Twilight Zone ambitions feel oddly misplaced."

"Andrew Patterson’s directorial debut has a Wes Anderson-like feel to it, a world full of quirky characters spouting memorable dialogue, brought vividly to life via unhurried pacing and a production design that offers a real sense of space and place."

"Patterson’s tracking shots and big, soft, beautiful Scope images are clearly indebted to John Carpenter’s films. Yet Patterson has absorbed more than Carpenter’s pyrotechnical style, as he understands the melancholy soulfulness of the legend’s best work."

"The Vast Of Night manages to be eerie and compelling despite unfolding mostly in a series of conversations and monologues tied together by a fictional Twilight Zone-esque show called Paradox Theatre."

"The heart of the film isn’t in its shout-outs. Homages to past sci-fi movies or not, the movie’s take on the material feels startlingly original."

"Patterson’s talent means that, even once this pandemic-induced moment has passed, “The Vast of Night” will be remembered as his smart, stylish springboard."

""The Vast of Night" doesn't come to you. You must go to it. You must submit to its rules, and once you do, it yields tremendous rewards."

"Patterson trusts that chemistry will compensate for a gentle thriller that chooses to impress with ingenuity and charm instead of special effects."

"A riveting and ultimately heartbreaking story about seemingly insignificant people who are irrevocably changed by contact with big things beyond their comprehension."

"Unpacks a generation's worth of Cold War fascination and paranoia."