In the Shadow ***
It is inevitable that Stir of Echoes will draw comparisons to The
Sixth Sense and while this is perfectly normal, seeing as though they have similar
premises, it is also a little unfair.
The Sixth Sense was a movie out of the box. It was a film that
managed to develop a engrossing plot, yet at the same time scare the daylights out its
audience, something that not many films can do.
On the other hand, Stir of Echoes is a solid film that provides good
entertainment but lacks that "something special" to make it stand out from the
pack. The scares just don’t come and as a result the film feels a little flat.
Kevin Bacon turns in another credible performance as Tom Witzky, a
man who is haunted by visions of a dead girl. At first, Witzky tries to rid himself of
these visions but gradually he is consumed by the desire to find out the meaning behind
them.
The film moves along at a reasonable pace and doesn’t get
bogged down at any stage. However, it is a little predictable and the film relies too much
on Bacon’s character to carry the story.
Having said that, Bacon’s on-screen son is the most irritating
part of this movie and is one character that the story could have done without. The kid,
who can also see his father’s visions, is just annoying and he plays no real part in
the story.
Who knows how this film might have been accepted had it come
pre-Sixth Sense. The similarities in the story make it easy for comparisons and when
comparing the two films, Stir of Echoes does not come out looking too good.
But, it is a solid film that is entertaining enough to make it worth
a view. Just don’t expect to see another Sixth Sense.
