Stir of Echoes – 1999 – Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Directed by: David Koepp
Written by: David Koepp
Main Players: Kevin Bacon; Kathryn Erbe; Illeana Douglas; Jennifer Morrison; Kevin Dunn
Family and working man Tom Witzky (Bacon) and wife Maggie (Erbe) live ordinary lives, with their son Jake in a Chicago suburb. While life isn’t perfect, they are happy enough. Their life is upended however, when skeptic Tom agrees to get hypnotized by his sister-in-law Lisa (Douglas) at a party with his neighbors.
It works too well, and Tom is left with some strange results. He reels with headaches, strange visions, and creepy feelings. Unsure of what to do, he begins to unravel mentally as he looks for answers. What do these signs mean, and what does this force want?
Overall, this movie is a bit gorier and darker than a semi-similar hit of the same year The Sixth Sense. While that movie remains superior, Stir of Echoes is pretty well done all things considered. Its cast is small, however does a great job. The script which is based on a book gives some nice mystery as well to go with some creepy scares.
This movie is not too deep into the horror category, however does feature some spine-chilling moments and a bit of gore to go with its dark story resolution. If viewers can stand a touch of blood, the mystery is worth it.
I have not seen the non-theatrical sequel Stir of Echoes: The Homecoming but it does not get pleasant reviews, so maybe skip it unless you are feasting for more. It probably has little to do with this story/book.
See This If You Liked:
The Sixth Sense; The Ring; The Shining; The Others; The Orphanage (El Orfanato); 1408; The Changeling (1980); The Night House; The Innkeepers; Frailty; What Lies Beneath; The Mothman Prophecies; The Skeleton Key
Score:
7.0