Wednesday, August 17, 2022
flickfeast
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Festivals
  • FrightFeast
  • Spotlight
  • Contribute
  • Submissions
    • Advertise on Flickfeast
    • Submit a Film
No Result
View All Result
flickfeast
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Festivals
  • FrightFeast
  • Spotlight
  • Contribute
  • Submissions
    • Advertise on Flickfeast
    • Submit a Film
No Result
View All Result
FLICKFEAST
No Result
View All Result
Home Reviews HE Reviews

Echelon Conspiracy (2009)

Emma Hutchings by Emma Hutchings
December 10, 2021
in HE Reviews
14
SHARES
1.4k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Director Greg Marcks’ first movie, the darkly comic thriller 11:14, starred Hilary Swank, Patrick Swayze, Henry Thomas, Rachael Leigh Cook, Ben Foster, and Colin Hanks. He follows that with Echelon Conspiracy and another ensemble cast, this time with Shane West (The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen), Ed Burns (Saving Private Ryan), Ving Rhames (Mission: Impossible), Jonathan Pryce (Tomorrow Never Dies), and Martin Sheen (Apocalypse Now).

I have to say, I wasn’t expecting much from this film and I think because of this, I ended up being quite pleasantly surprised. Don’t get me wrong, it definitely had its bad moments but it’s still a watchable movie I’d recommend if you fancy an evening of entertainment and don’t set your sights too high.

You might also like

Belle (2021) – Home Entertainment Review

Death on the Nile (2022) – Blu-ray Review

The Mitchells Vs The Machines (2021)- Blu-ray Review

Max Peterson (Shane West) is an American techie who helps people defend their computers, by installing security programs to keep hackers and criminals out. After a job in Bangkok, he returns to his hotel to find a package waiting for him from an unknown sender. It contains a mobile phone and soon he begins to receive mysterious text messages. At first they lead him to good fortune and wealth (he doesn’t catch his planned flight, which is later reported to have crashed, and he wins lots of money at the casino) but soon they take a more sinister turn. And after drawing attention to himself in the casino, the security team and the FBI start to take an interest in him as well. He is informed that others who were in similar circumstances have been found dead and that these messages may have links to the NSA and a worldwide computer-controlled system. Before long, he has gotten in too deep and realises that what started out as simple text messages may lead to dire consequences for the entire population.

The plot of Echelon Conspiracy at times feels very similar to 2008’s Eagle Eye, starring Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan. A young, unsuspecting man is given instructions by a mobile phone, and there is a threat in the form of computer-controlled technology. Both films raise questions of whether computer surveillance methods, supposedly used for our safety and security, are actually a detriment to society. Whether they could be used against us, instead of being used to protect us.

The film did have a number of poor scenes, for example, when Max visits a man named Yuri, there is a CCTV screen in Yuri’s apartment, which shows gunmen entering the building. Max asks Yuri for another escape route and Yuri points to the image of a stairwell on the screen. Then Max rushes out of the apartment and heads straight for the stairwell, even though he hasn’t been told which direction to go or where it is and he’s never visited this building before! There are a few moments like this, where any sense of realism there may be is spoiled, because you know in real-life what you have just witnessed could never have happened.

Some plus points for the film include the various locations, with Bangkok, Prague and Moscow providing scenic backdrops to the action. Also, it benefits from a good supporting cast, Jonathan Pryce’s character in particular was intriguing, if under-written, and Martin Sheen is always a welcome addition to any film.

Ultimately, Echelon Conspiracy suffers from the fact that there are other, more well-known films out there with similar stories, which tell theirs better than this one does. It doesn’t pack much of a punch and often the thrills are less than thrilling. Saying that, it should still manage to hold an audience’s interest and the actors raise it to the level of a mildly enjoyable movie experience.

Echelon Conspiracy is out on DVD today, 4th October.

Director: Greg Marcks
Cast: Shane West, Edward Burns, Ving Rhames, Jonathan Pryce
Runtime: 105 min
Country: USA

Film Rating: ★★½☆☆

Like the review? Want the film? Buy it here

Tags: actionCrimeechelon conspiracyEd BurnsJonathan PryceMartin SheenShane WestthrillerVing Rhames
Emma Hutchings

Emma Hutchings

Film studies graduate, freelance writer, blogger and movie reviewer - visit my blog 'Suspend Your Disbelief' at syd-film-blog.blogspot.com and come tweet with me @sydfilmblog!

Related Posts

Belle (2021) - Home Entertainment Review
HE Reviews

Belle (2021) – Home Entertainment Review

by Jed Wagman
June 27, 2022
Death on the Nile (2022) - Blu-ray Review
HE Reviews

Death on the Nile (2022) – Blu-ray Review

by Jed Wagman
April 11, 2022
The Mitchells Vs The Machines (2021)- Blu-ray Review
HE Reviews

The Mitchells Vs The Machines (2021)- Blu-ray Review

by Jed Wagman
December 13, 2021
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)- 4K Blu-ray Review
Film Review

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)- 4K Blu-ray Review

by Jed Wagman
December 6, 2021
Superman & Lois
HE Reviews

‘Superman and Lois’ (2021) Series Review

by Jenna Scott
December 2, 2021

Recommended

Win Don’t Look Now Blu-rays

August 17, 2021

James Marsh live Q&A on twitter

August 23, 2012

Don't miss it

EIFF 2022: Flux Gourmet (2022) – Film Review
Festivals

EIFF 2022: Flux Gourmet (2022) – Film Review

August 16, 2022
EIFF 2022: Special Delivery (2021) – Film Review
Festivals

EIFF 2022: LOLA (2022) – Film Review

August 15, 2022
EIFF 2022: Millie Lies Low (2021) – Film Review
Festivals

EIFF 2022: Millie Lies Low (2021) – Film Review

August 15, 2022
The Feast (2022) – Film Review
Film Review

The Feast (2022) – Film Review

August 16, 2022
EIFF 2022: Resurrection (2022) – Film Review
Festivals

EIFF 2022: Resurrection (2022) – Film Review

August 14, 2022
EIFF 2022: Aftersun (2022) – Film Review
Festivals

EIFF 2022: Aftersun (2022) – Film Review

August 13, 2022
flickfeast

Whetting your appetite for cinema with the best film reviews and features since 2009

© Copyright - flickfeast. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Festivals
  • FrightFeast
  • Spotlight
  • Contribute

© Copyright - flickfeast. All Rights Reserved.

Posting....