Vibrolix Studio and Evan Marcewicz debut with their first feature length film titled Echo Point. One of my favorite things about writing for HorrorSociety is that I get to experience filmmakers at the infancy of their careers. I get to see them learn and progress, and maybe years from now I get to see their movies in theaters while thinking I remember when. While Echo Point is far from perfect, it demonstrates that Evan Marcewicz has a lot of promise and, honestly, it’s hard to make a movie, guys, let alone a feature length project. The amount of planning, sacrificing, problem solving and uncertainty, well, it takes a lot of heart to put your passion on the line and open it up for view consumption. Whether he’s happy with my review or not, Evan, I salute you.
Echo Point follows a young man who inherits a remove cabin from his estranged father. While settling the estate, he discovers an old radio that emits a mysterious voice and a series of unsettling transmissions. Soon, the young man begins to unravel the horrifying secrets strewed around the property and he begins to realize that maybe a bit of estrangement was for the better. There’s a very big plot point that I don’t want to spoil, but the title Echo Point has a substantial, metaphorical meaning. Evan Marcewicz wrote, directed and edited this feature film. Lead cast members include Evan Neal, Jaime Snyder, Elizabeth Hanlon, Cal Tolentino and Steve Schroko. Catch it now on select streaming platforms including Prime Video.
I enjoyed Echo Point, but I understand how it may not be everyone’s cup of tea. It’s a very late 80s/early 90s styled, slow burn narrative that relies on story building and character development more than anything else. It feels like it could be a third-person survival video game, where the horror takes a backseat to the mystery and suspense. While it looks a little outdated and has a little bit of cheese, it’s interesting because it wraps several genres into one remote cabin. Horror, mystery, science fiction, drama and action. It also has some psychological elements that give it an extra hazy layer of wondering just what’s happening on the isolated property. I think the only thing I would have done different is lean into the horror and science fiction more than the mystery and drama.
Still, I have a few nice things to say about this movie. Overall, the acting is pretty decent. And while the production quality overall could use a little adjustment, the locations and angles were pretty and spot on. Is it slow at times? Yes, but it also adds a new element to the story to keep viewers on their toes when this happens. Is it low in gore? Yes, but it’s high in realism and it never set out to be the next big thing in scary movies. I don’t foresee myself watching it again, but it was still an enjoyable experience. Echo Point goes to show that returning to a simpler time in filmmaking always feels like home… one that’s kind of haunted. Echo Point is a rustic, homegrown horror film that puts the oh? in radio. Well done. Final Score: 6.5 out of 10.
