Stir of Echoes

There’s little doubt that Stir of Echoes‘ effectiveness is somewhat diminished by the familiarity of its plot, as the movie – viewed in the wake of The Ring and its myriad of copycats – unfolds in a less-than-surprising manner that ultimately wreaks havoc on its overall impact. The storyline – which follows Kevin Bacon’s Tom Witzky as he willingly submits to hypnosis at a party and subsequently finds himself able to see and hear dead people – is nevertheless intriguing enough to essentially render such complaints moot, with the film’s almost inherently fascinating premise heightened by its myriad of overtly positive attributes (eg David Koepp’s compelling directorial choices, Bacon’s expectedly captivating performance, etc). The ease with which Koepp is able to create an atmosphere of blue-collar authenticity certainly plays a significant role in the movie’s success, as the director offers up a surprisingly compelling family drama that proves an effective counterbalance to the increasingly horrific nature of Tom’s newfound abilities. It’s only in the buildup to the finale that Stir of Echoes falters – Koepp can’t quite sustain the exceedingly tense vibe right through to the conclusion – yet this is an awfully minor complaint for a stylish, sporadically gripping thriller that boasts a number of undeniably tense sequences and interludes (eg Tom becomes convinced that his young son is in danger).

*** out of ****