After being released from Riker’s – holy fuck that must have been some fucked up shit you did to get there – ex-convict Bobby Reynolds attempts to throw away the past and start his life over again. He gets a job, rebuilds the relationship with their girlfriend, keeps out of trouble, and hopes to settle down.
Unfortunately for them, their troubles are not over yet. In fact they only appear to be beginning. Despite a free man, not only does the general public distrust him, he must also face more opposition in the form of a growing supernatural presense which promises to destroy everything he’s worked for.
Lame, dull, and unexciting, The Echo tells the tale of Reynolds as he is molested by strange hauntings and evil spirits. Ignorant to the fascinating subject of incarceration and prison culture, the background of the ex-convict protagonist is blatantly fabricated, and more of a quick excuse to present the fearsome reality of an isolated and excluded individual, without the authenticity to back it up.
The unsmiling Bobby is a theatrical disappointment. They’re obviously a very educated and capable actor who relishes their role, and yet the script demands they lack feelings, emotion, or to take joy in pretty much anything. Their permanent grimness isn’t scary or forboding: it just looks dull-witted and unintelligent. This goes for most of the 2 bit two-dimensional characters who all get to look as dumb than concrete.
The incredibly arranged lighting produces an enchanting and musky atmosphere of forboding and warmth. Scenes speak in their own silence as they’re bathed in an intimate darkness and powerful flourescent scarlet. It’s very slickly designed and professional worthy of any crime thriller mash or slasher, easily setting the ground for an ultimate horror.
Sadly, tomorrow never comes. While the meandering tale is capable of avoiding to fall into complete nonsense, nor does it present any particular threats, ideas or characters worthy of interest. It’s just very basic. Beautiful, calm, and enchanting, but uncompelling, shallow, and basic.
4/10
Possession Media 