Earth To Echo ***

Each generation needs its own ‘E.T.’ to believe in, to feed little dreams of friendly alien life out there. Cameraman-come-debut-feature-director Dave Green’s PG-friendly flick introduces us to Echo, a more mechanical but still very organic being that also channels today’s youngsters’ gadget obsession.

A neighbourhood is being phased out to make way for a highway, and the residents are getting ready to leave. However, after receiving a bizarre series of encrypted messages, a group of kids embark on an adventure with an alien who needs their help to return home.

The thing about Earth to Echo – however pleasing to watch – is there are too many parallels to J.J. Abrams’ successful Super 8 (2011) in tech terms and not enough alien character building like WALL.E (2008) to really develop a connection with tiny Echo, or even to care enough whether he gets home. True, he has the cute robotic doe eyes to get you smitten. However, those expecting proper E.T. days of alien bonding might be slightly disappointed that the headlining star gets limited screen time.

This film is all about kids’ early adoption of gadgets – in particular, mobile phones (like some 91-minute 3D advert for such in fact). If parents wonder what kids get up to using their handsets, this film enlightens you as to how tech-savvy our youngsters really are. There’s always a gleeful moment to be had with such films when the kids outsmart the oldies in finding the clues and solving the mystery – that’s a given here, and Earth to Echo is like some great latter-day treasure hunt that’s really engrossing: You can’t help but be impressed by the young characters’ knowledge. There are trappings of WALL.E morality to be had in that we humans need to be less wasteful and more recycling conscience, which the kids will lap up but adults will inwardly groan at the virtual finger wagging about the state of the planet being left for our kids.

There are also some confident performances from the leads Teo Halm, Astro, and in particular the ‘resident dweeb’ and overweight kid, Reese Hartwig as Munch. And no pre-tween/early-teen film would be complete without a hint of romance in the air – all PG approved, as the leads deal with changes in every department. Enter Ella Wahlestedt as the girl-next-door everyone wants to ‘slow dance with’, that combination of tough, smart and leggy-blonde that all boys dream of. With all the standard elements in play, it’s a carbon-copy of many other sci-fi kids films at play – and in 3D that works well with flying objects at times but is irrelevant most others.

Earth to Echo is a solid dip into kiddie sci-fi for Green and one that will be all too familiar to make its mark. Its overriding impression is ‘just what would we all do without technology’? Sit around and talk to one another perhaps? Welcome, parents, to the multi-tasking generation of little sleuths! Earth to Echo is very enlightening in this respect if nothing else.

3/5 stars

By @FilmGazer

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