The Vault, A Paranormal Dog Day Afternoon

A sure proof plan to rob a bank. Yep, nothing could go wrong. Just ask Al Pacino. Lots of guns, a small army, brains, brawn, and determination. The cops are nitwits and the bank employees are wimps.  There is a big problem looming, however. When criminals come up with a sure fire plan, we then find out that they weren't as smart as they first appeared.  It always starts out as burlap sacks being filled with small denominations, but ends up with hostages and a police barricade. Oh yeah...if you're really unlucky, a paranormal entity might show up.  Hence 2017's "The Vault."

Leah (Francesca Eastwood) is a no nonsense mastermind type.  Her sister, the ex-con Vee (Taryn Manning) is hot tempered and very unstable. These two sisters join forces with their dolt brother Michael (Scott Haze). Michael is in deep with some hoodlums and when he can't pay his debt, they force him to rob a bank. The hoodlums send a few henchmen with the trio. The invasion takes place at closing and seven bank employees are tied up and only a few shots are fired resulting in death and other carnage. Uh oh...where's all the money? Vee isn't amused at the slim pickings in the vault and is about to start executing employees. Michael develops a soft spot for head teller Susan (Q'orianka Kilcher) and promises no one will get hurt...he should've checked with Vee first.

In fright, an apparent assistant manager, Ed (James Franco) pleads for calm and lets Leah know there are millions in the subterranean vault. What? He explains where the vault is and the carnage is temporarily suspended as the team heads to a mysterious underground vault. This won't go well because waiting in the vault are...well...ghosts. Violent and ticked off ghosts! They start killing the bank robbers in horrible, gory fashion. Wait! All the bills in the vault are dated 1982. Leah remembers that Susan and the bank manager alluded the bank was haunted but she dismissed this drivel. Susan lets Vee and Leah in on a bloody backstory about a previous bank robbery in 1982 resulting in many murders. Oh yeah, that culprit in 1982?  He got away and no one ever saw his face. As bank robber heads are blown off and eyes gouged out, Ed pleads with Leah to keep calm and not hurt anyone. Oh yes, no surprise here, the cops have the place surrounded.

As the bank robbers are now the victims, Leah must figure out what exactly is going on and survive the evil specters.  Just what happened in 1982, and who was that mysterious bank robber? Does Ed have an ulterior motive for helping Leah?  Is "The Vault" a metaphor for unforeseen consequences of the ever increasing automated banking at our local branches?  New on Netflix, "The Vault" (directed by Dan Bush) is a minor but effective and well-acted ghost/horror story with some nice gore.