Quartile rating: 5.5/10 · 1 rating
After a construction project begins digging in their neighbourhood, best friends Tuck, Munch and Alex inexplicably begin to receive strange, encoded messages on their cell phones. Convinced something bigger is going on, they go to their parents and the authorities. The three embark on a secret adventure to crack the code and follow it to its source, and discover a mysterious being from another world who desperately needs their help. The journey that follows will change all their lives forever.
Earth to Echo is a derivative found-footage family sci-fi adventure that borrows heavily from E.T. and Super 8 without adding much of its own. The plot follows a predictable arc of kids befriending an alien and helping it return home, with little originality. The child acting is serviceable but unremarkable, and the found-footage conceit, while functional, is inconsistently executed and often feels like a gimmick rather than an organic storytelling choice. Cinematography is limited by the format and budget. The ending resolves neatly but without emotional resonance. A competent but largely forgettable entry in the genre.