THE VAULT is an unflinching blend of personal drama, bank heist and supernatural horror and one that despite its complexities, plays its story out rather smoothly. Sisters Vee (Taryn Manning) and Leah (Francesca Eastwood) accompanied by their brother Michael (Scott Haze) and his company to collect a guaranteed paycheck from a downtown bank are quickly surprised by the complexities of the job at hand when they come across the remnants of a horrific robbery which took place decades before. Putting aside their personal differences, the band of crooks need to band together to survive as they are taken hostage themselves to the unfolding and unfortunate events they have fallen into.

 

At the heart of THE VAULT (the title not the physical being) is a story of a broken family and the toll that each of their lifestyles have had on each other. While Haze brings the brawn, he is ultimately the weaker member and the strong femme fatales take centre stage for much of their film as their personal ordeals easily match the conflict they must face to survive. Francessca Eastwood (daughter of another legendary Eastwood) shows her own credit as an actress here while Taryn Manning easily challenges for the role of lead female and it’s chemistry that simply keeps you glued to the screen and rooting for them both despite the fact they are characteristically breaking the “hero” mantra. It goes to prove the power of these women when there’s a bigger name on the credits and one that falls quickly in the shadow of these leading ladies.

 

Writer and director Dan Bush is at home here blending genres and stories in an effortless way. While the film opens as a bank heist movie, it closes as a science fiction blend of horror and time loops. Without adding any spoilers, it sounds on paper a convoluted piece which asks for more attention than a Christopher Nolan piece but in truth, THE VAULT is as much fun as FROM DUSK TIL DAWN and Bush’s earlier meshed story telling of THE SIGNAL.

 

One thing that THE VAULT also provides is some rather gory and brilliantly executed deaths. While the horror element is often overshadowed by the personal conflict throughout the heist, when it comes, it doesn’t hold back. Splattered with jump scares and with a penchant of blood, the film’s ability to add the supernatural in a grounded drama is testament to Dan Bush’s passion for good storytelling.

 

With a great cast, gripping performances and enough to keep seasoned horror fans content, THE VAULT is a must see!