Over the course of his nearly 40-year career, David Koepp has produced several iconic adaptations of genre properties, the most notable being the Jurassic Park franchise, co-writing the original with author Michael Crichton, writing the sequel and returning for the next Jurassic World Rebirth. But nestled among his most popular works in the 1990s and early 2000s is what remains one of his most moving and underrated efforts with Echo Shakewhich also marked his second time in the director's chair.
Based on the novel by Richard Matheson Echo ShakeThe story revolves around Tom Witzky, a factory worker from Chicago who finds his life shaken when he discovers that his wife, Maggie, is pregnant with their second child. While attending a neighborhood party, Maggie's sister Lisa hypnotizes him to prove that he is real, while also leaving a subconscious suggestion that he opens his mind to more things. This leads him to have visions of the murder of a local teenager, sending him down a path of mania as he tries to discover the truth and how to stop his visions.
The mystery of Stir Of Echoes is an engaging mix of supernatural and grounded characters
Koepp never forgets the characters at the center
The '90s proved to be an interesting time for the supernatural genre, as several filmmakers began developing stories based on the idea of living people communicating with the dead, usually to help them deal with some unfinished business. After its release, Echo Shake has often found itself compared to that of M. Night Shyamalan The Sixth Senseespecially since the latter was released just a month before the former. Regardless of the comparisons, Koepp found several ways to ensure his film stood out from the rest.
Another important reason why the mystery unfolds so slowly works well for Echo Shake it's that Koepp remembers the grounded story and the characters that surround it.
The film's central mystery is one of the most fascinating things about Echo Shake. The introduction of Tom's visions is quick enough to intrigue us as to what Lisa's hypnotization actually revealed. But even as we get more and more glimpses of the spirit he is connected to, very few crumbs are left to reveal what happened to her and who was responsible. While this could be seen as a lack of plot development, it keeps the story quite unpredictable.
The mystery that unfolds so slowly works well because Koepp remembers the grounded story and characters that surround him. When we are introduced to Tom and Maggie, they are a couple who occasionally push against each other due to Tom's desire for a better life outside of his job. As Tom's latent abilities are unlocked and he becomes more grounded in discovering the answers behind his visions, we see this affect their relationship, but in ways that feel authentic, as the two swing between humorous, love and contempt.
Koepp's direction is a visually mesmerizing delight
His use of bold colors feels like a beautiful homage to Giallo and Hitchcock classics.
In addition to its compelling script, Echo Shake is also successful thanks to Koepp's beautiful direction. He and cinematographer Fred Murphy bring a unique approach to capturing the supernatural side of the film's universe, really leaning into color effects. Jennifer Morrison's Samantha is often visualized in a blue color scheme on her ghostly figure, while Tom's visions of imminent danger are coated in a bold red hue, very reminiscent of some of the best giallo films of the 70s, based on the 90s. context.
Long before it became an overused horror trope, Koepp makes surprisingly effective use of jump scares for some good jolts. Even for 1999, they don't necessarily leave us uneasy long after the end credits, but they add a nice extra layer of tension to the whole piece as we're left wondering what other shocks he has in store. The most notable is Samantha suddenly appearing next to Tom on the couch in the middle of the night, something he tries to recreate several times, and we anxiously wait to see if she will appear.
Bacon's stirring performance still remains one of the best
He finds the right mix of heart and fear for Tom
One of the biggest reasons Echo Shake works just as well, however, is Bacon's lead performance as Tom. It certainly wasn't the first or only time he played the so-called “everyman,” but there's something about Tom that proves to be a perfect match for his talents. One of my favorite scenes is when, during a conversation with Kathryn Erbe's Maggie, he goes through a range of emotions as he reflects on where his life is at that moment and where he wants to be. It's all so subtly conveyed by him that it seems sincere.
Even when the stakes rise and Tom is on the verge of losing his mind, Bacon never overplays his performance, keeping us truly grounded in his journey into Echo Shake. That's not to say the film isn't without its flaws, as Maggie is rarely lacking any agency, while the lack of backstory for Samantha makes her portrayal somewhat confusing. But regardless of some of its other problems, Koepp and Bacon's film still proves to be a chilling ride from start to finish.
Echo Shake is now available in 4K Ultra-HD for the first time and is also available to stream on Prime Video.
- The film's central mystery is a gripping mix of supernatural horror and grounded drama.
- Most of the characters are well rounded.
- Kevin Bacon gives one of the best performances of his career.
- David Koepp's direction is visually sumptuous and reminiscent of giallo and Hitchcock classics.
- Some supporting performances seem stiff in parts.
- Kathryn Erbe's Maggie often feels like she has minimal agency.