A Moderately Intriguing Horror-Thriller
The Vault doesn’t quite reach the heights to become a genre-defining event, but it offers a compelling blend of crime and supernatural horror.
The film centers on two young sisters, Leah and Vee (Francesca Eastwood and Taryn Manning), who, along with their accomplices, embark on a bank robbery. They quickly subdue the security and take the staff hostage, only to find the vault contains significantly less cash than anticipated. Desperate, one of the bank managers (James Franco) reveals the existence of a hidden vault in the basement rumored to hold millions. The crew descends, discovering the vault is real, but its contents are far more terrifying than just money.
As the trailers and posters suggest, The Vault, directed by Dan Bush, begins as a crime thriller before morphing into a horror film. However, “morphing” isn’t entirely accurate. The film attempts to balance both genres simultaneously until its climax. The protagonists are not only hunted by supernatural entities but also face armed police outside the bank. Leah, Vee, and their crew must navigate both threats to survive and escape with the money. This distinguishes it from films like Don’t Breathe, where the criminal setup is merely a prelude to the horror.
Fun Fact: Francesca Eastwood is the daughter of Clint Eastwood and Frances Fisher, who starred together in the western Unforgiven.
Genre Blending: A Double-Edged Sword
In theory, this dual-genre approach should make the film more engaging than its competitors. In practice, however, the genres hinder each other, preventing the build-up of tension. The thriller scenes feel like breathers between encounters with the monsters, as the police are clearly less frightening than the creatures in the basement. Hints of conflict within the robbery crew remain just that – hints. The horror scenes are infrequent, even towards the end, falling short of genre expectations. Bush seems to struggle with the balance required for successful multi-genre filmmaking. The Vault ends up being a semi-thriller and a semi-horror, which isn’t enough to earn it high praise.
Another interesting fact: Francesca Eastwood and Clifton Collins Jr. married shortly after filming.
Intrigue and Unease
Despite its shortcomings, The Vault manages to be relatively intriguing and unsettling. The monsters may appear generic, but they evoke a primal fear that makes horror films effective, even when we know we’re safe.
Casting Choices
Horror films often benefit from unknown actors, making their characters feel like ordinary people. Crime thrillers, on the other hand, often use stars to encourage audience investment in the characters, regardless of their actions. Bush opts for the latter, and it pays off. Eastwood and Manning’s charisma, combined with their characters’ behavior, creates an interesting dynamic. We want to know how their story ends, yet either outcome (survival or death) seems plausible and justified. This is a definite plus for entertainment that aims to scare without leaving viewers depressed by the loss of beloved characters.
Franco’s presence is intriguing in itself. The characters see him as a typical “white-collar worker,” but we, the audience, know that an actor like him wouldn’t be in this film for nothing! However, don’t expect too much from Franco – his role is simpler than it seems, which is disappointing, but not enough to make the film a failure.