realfandangoforever
This film keeps you entertained enough to remain waiting, and waiting and waiting. Then, it's over. Not a great product but not too terribly bad either. William Forsythe is the hard-to-like character highlight and the most renowned actor on this film. Not much action but when it does finally come, it may at least surprise you.
Wizard-8
I picked up this movie really cheap ($1.25) from a dollar store in my neighbourhood, since I quite often like to look at obscure movies since there are some real gems hidden out there. However, it didn't take long into watching it to determine that this was one movie that deserves to be unknown. Now, unlike some of the other user commenters here, I didn't find the acting to be particularly bad - nothing exceptional, but it was acceptable. And for what had to be a REALLY low budget, the filmmakers managed to stretch out every penny that they had (though I will admit that the movie isn't exactly lavish). But there is one big problem with the movie that sinks it, and that it is *painfully* slow and almost totally uneventful. Scene after scene goes by where *nothing* of real significance happens. You have to wait until 85% of the movie has gone by before things start really cooking, and then it's dealt with in just a manner of minutes. In the end, the movie seems to have no point at all, unless it was to be a nice tax write-off for the investors.
dwinfr1
This is the worst western I've seen since 1974. That was the summer I filmed my best friend, Jimmy R, with my new Kodak Super 8, wearing a Cardboard Stetson, shooting rubber tipped plastic arrows off the back porch of the ranch he shared with two siblings and his mother and father....When I say ranch, I mean a single level modern home. This was Chicago after all. How is it possible that a screen writer could lay out dialog this unrealistic? This was so off period (If I may coin a phrase) that it seemed to be a sketch for a TV variety show. Western set in the nineteenth century? Please say you're kidding me. These characters speak as if they're millennial's chatting at a Starbucks. I have written several short stories, published a couple. I'm a hack with degree in Creative Writing who's best quality is recognizing great writing, rather than writing great. I suppose that it is for that very reason that I get so irritated when I read a novel, or see a film, that money, a lot of money, has been spent on its production. Nobody saw this coming? Somewhere there is actually an executive producer who read this screen play, stuck a finger in the air, and called out, BRILLIANT? The only redeeming aspect of this two hour cattle pie is a few of the actors who tried very hard to pretend they were in the atmosphere and situation that the set and script called for. Valiant efforts to be sure, but not near enough to prevent me from wanting my money back. And it's sad. I love a good western. Who doesn't? There are several factors that go into writing a screenplay, rules that need to be followed to keep the story flowing smoothly toward its climax. And the rules are followed here. The screenplay and script seem to have been put together well. Technically, there is absolutely nothing wrong with Echoes Of War. It's just a bad bad boring movie that moves along slower than a 90 year old break dancer. Echoes Of War is to be missed. Life is way to short to spend any of it on this film. Trust me on this.
jsntbn
I saw this film at the Dallas International Film Festival last month and thoroughly enjoyed the screening and the Q&A afterwards. The film reminded me of the novella Colomba by Prosper Merimee in the way it deals with revenge and vendetta. Although not an anti-war film, per se, the film successfully places war as the true antagonist in the story and despite being miles away from the fighting it shows the effects it has on individuals and families and in many cases bringing out the worst in them. The acting was top-notch and the award for best ensemble acting at the Dallas International Film Festival was well deserved. One scene that particularly stood out for me was between James Badge Dale and William Forsythe on the porch of the McCluskey home. The performances were understated yet full to the brim, much like the film itself. The direction didn't bring attention to itself, instead letting the story unfold in its own time, a sign of a confident hand at the helm. In that regard it reminded me of The Straight Story by David Lynch. Like all great films, it's their themes that separate them from rest of the crowd and Echoes of War will leave you thinking about its themes long after the film has ended.
AD
