Boy, Disney may have screwed the pooch on this one! After deciding not to release EARTH TO ECHO and pawning it off to Relativity Media, we saw a intriguing first trailer for the movie that teased a found footage movie focused on a bunch of kids finding something extraterrestrial. Now, this new second trailer expands and shows this is not just another movie but could be something special.
Immediately, this trailer reminded me of a bunch of movies from the 1980s like BATTERIES NOT INCLUDED, EXPLORERS, E.T., and even THE GOONIES. The Steven Spielberg comparison is the most appropriate as EARTH TO ECHO looks like it is channeling the Amblin experience that J.J. Abrams embraced with SUPER 8.
After a construction project begins digging in their neighborhood, 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. When everyone around them refuses to take the messages seriously, the three embark on a secret adventure to crack the code and follow it to its source. But taking matters into their own hands gets the trio in way over their heads when they discover a mysterious being from another world who desperately needs their help. The epic, suspenseful and exciting journey that follows will change all of their lives forever.
While some may be turned off by the found footage in the movie, I think it is less obtrusive here than it often is in a lot of films. But, what seems to be the biggest success here is the casting as the kids seem natural and not at all hammy like a lot of child actors can sometimes be. Plus, it has been a long time since we had a movie of this kind that is appropriate for families. SUPER 8 was a bit too adult for younger kids but this looks like it may be the kind of movie aimed at kids that Hollywood tends to overlook.
We will all find out what EARTH TO ECHO is all about when it hits theaters on April 25, 2014.