The post-Civil War in America left a tragic legacy and one of the down falls became the subject of Echos of War, a compelling drama that takes place in Texas. In today’s world of PTSD the film uses the trauma to tell a fictional story about a family faced with a returning veteran of the Confederate Army. Now on DVD the movie features good performances by an able cast and outstanding cinematography.
The war has ended and most of the discharged Confederate soldiers are returning to their homesteads. Wade (James Badge Dale) one such southern militia volunteer having nowhere to go, has returned to his brother-in-law Seamus Riley’s (Ethan Embry) homestead. There he’s greeted by his niece Abby (Maika Monroe) and nephew Sammy (Owen Teague) with a warm welcome. But, there’s been nothing but hardship for Seamus since he lost his wife Mary to illness and there’s very little food to put on the table. He reluctantly agrees to have Wade stay on until he can find lodging.
Trapping animals for their pelts and sustenance, Seamus finds the going tough, mostly due to poaching by his neighbors the McCluskeys. While he’s been tolerant with the cattle-ranching Randolph McCluskey (William Forsythe), Wade doesn’t want to turn his back on the problem. Thus begins a battle of right vs wrong fueled by pride and the unbearable stress caused by war.
Writer and director Kane Senes does a very good job of setting the scene for the conflict between families. He pictures the struggles caused the families whose farms were used to provide crops and cattle for the war effort. He then adds a quarrel over a debt that Seamus owed to Randolph McCluskey and a secret romance between Abby and Marcus McCluskey (Rhys Wakefield) adding fuel to the fire.
While the film does have a very good story and the acting is superb, the direction falters behind the camera. Kane Senes spools out his film at a very slow teeth grinding pace with some scenes getting very tedious. While it does make for awesome art, the film drags and performances lose their excitement. That said, the film still entertains, bringing to life the effects of war on those that were directly exposed to it.
The acting is extremely good with fine performances all around. I especially liked Maika Monroe as the young girl isolated on the prairie without a town close by. She shows the desire to be with a man even if it means a fight between her family and the McCluskey’s. She recently gave a stirring performance as Jay Height in the film It Follows.
Both James Badge Dale and William Forsythe put on a great show as the feuding neighbors. Wade has a score to settle and Randolph McCluskey wants to take over Seamus’s farm. The two get nose to nose in the film giving brilliant performances using Kand Senes smart dialogue. The two make the film work. Badge Dale was receently seen in Iron Man 3 as Savin and Forsythe can be seen in the upcoming The Bronx Bull as Jake Lamotta.
The cinematography of the Texas landscapes shot with wide angles are gorgeous. Forests, streams, open fields and the McCluskey mansion give the flavor of the expansive South. Turning the camera on the subjects of the film, the close-ups are very good showing the drama in each of the characters. Even the nighttime scenes are nicely lighted and realistic looking.
Echoes of War has been rated R by the MPAA for violence, sexuality/nudity and language. The sexuality gets very strong and explicit so be cautious when young immature children are in the home, because the scene is inappropriate for adolescents.
FINAL ANALYSIS: The story and action is very good, but the slow pace may be a little challenging. (C+)
Specifications and additional video information:
Cast: James Badge Dale, Ethan Embry, William Forsythe
Director and writer: Kane Senes
MPAA Rating: R for violence, sexuality/nudity and language
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Western
Running Time: 1 hr. 39 min.
Original Theatrical Release Date: April 15, 2015
Video Release Date: July 7, 2015
Language: English
Reviewed Format: DVD
Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1
Video: Aspect Ratio 1.78:1 Widescreen
Subtitles: CC
Number of Discs: 1 Disc
Distributed by: ARC Entertainment
