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Stir of Echoes






Stir of Echoes had the misfortune of being released around the same time as a movie with similar trappings, The Sixth Sense. Both involve the world of ghosts and the dead intruding on the world of the living. Both have a young boy who in caught between living in one world and hearing and seeing the other. But that is where the similarities stop. The Sixth Sense lives and dies on the twist ending, and while it is a damn good twist, repeat viewings show that the direction lacks a strong sense atmosphere and pacing. Not so with Stir of Echoes. The atmosphere is dense and the dread, palpable. Also, there are strong performances throughout the film, starting with Kevin Bacon (with some of his finest work) and continuing through the rest of the cast, especially Kathryn Erbe and Illeana Douglas. The story begins with a blue-collar skeptic (Bacon) daring his spiritually minded sister-in-law (Douglas) to prove hypnosis by putting him under. In an incredible sequence Bacon's character is hypnotized and made aware of a sinister presence that begins haunting him. There are quite a few things that make this movie unique among "haunting" films. First and foremost is the acting. Bacon's decent from a hard working, family man into a myopic obsessed wreck is genuinely frightening and awe inspiring at the same time. Also the directing is top-notch. The pacing, framing, even editing work together to great effect. And finally the special effects usage is perfect for a movie of this type. While not afraid to use some digital effects, most of the effects in the movie are optical and practical effects and the lack of a CGI "shimmer" makes them all the more real and all the more frightening. Practical effects can operate with a subtlety that most CG effects can't touch, and therefore keep you more involved with the film. If you like the original version of The Haunting, Poltergeist, or The Sixth Sense, check out this flick.