Writer(s): Henry Gayden
MPAA rating: PG
Runtime: 1h 29m
STARRING
Teo Halm, Astro, Reese Hartwig, Ella Wahlestedt, and Jason Gray-Stanford
PREMISE
Four 13 year-old kids film themselves while going on a quest to help a cute little extraterrestrial escape the government and find its way home.
Earth to Echo is basically a modern adaptation of E.T.: The Extraterrestrial for the YouTube generation, with generous portions of Super 8 thrown in for good measure. And why mention YouTube? Because, firstly, the whole film is shot like Cloverfield was. From beginning to end it's a string of amateur-like videos shot on amateur-like equipment. Secondly, it was all outspokenly intended for posting on YouTube.
THEMES
The primary theme of the movie is about the enduring strength of friendship even in the face of separation. The secondary theme is about how even children can make a big difference.
LIKES
The film arguably has a kind of charm to it. It's not much, but it's there, and I'm a sucker for charm. And the kids seemed real to me, and that's always important when kids have major roles in a story. Also, the little alien ends up doing some stuff that I considered kinda neat. I also found the themes to be respectable, and the one about enduring friendship brought back pleasant memories of childhood friends. Bittersweet stuff, that.
DISLIKES
I have to say that the "amateur" shooting style did start to grate on me after a while. I yearned for a more sane camera. (I was born long, long before YouTube.)
The only adults in the film are portrayed in some degree of negative light. Our heroes strike out on their own after lying to their parents about going to a sleep-over, and head far out into the desert and nearby towns - at night, alone - to go on their quest. Throughout the course of the movie their moral indiscretions continue to rack up through theft, more lying, and flagrant trespassing (even into someone's home after dark!).
One of the four kids is a girl, but she's not there in the beginning. Neither of those things are my gripe. My gripe is this: when she does show up, the writers (as usual in cases like this) felt it best for her to be a total bitch to the boys at first, in addition to showing them up like an ass while saving their hides. (Sorry for the language, but I couldn't think of a better way to say it.) After all, we need to have portrayals of "strong" women and all that. … [sigh] Is it impossible for a man to respect a woman unless she's a bitch? I should hope not. I'm so tired of girls and young women being sent that message!
S-L-V CONTENT
I don't think I saw or heard anything in these areas that bears mentioning. It's pretty much a clean movie.
ROB'S FINAL OPINION
2.5 out of 4 stars - Between "meh" and "I liked it."
I'd have given this film only 2 stars out of 5, but there was just enough of charm and bittersweet memories of childhood to eke out another 0.5.
No comments:
Post a Comment