Echoes of Fear (2018) Review
Alysa (Trista Robinson) inherits her grandfather’s house following his sudden death from an apparent heart attack. She cannot keep the house so travels there to prepare it for sale. While she is packing away her grandfather’s belongings some strange and unexplained events inside the house start to spook her and she soon comes to the conclusion that she is not alone there.
Even her pet mouse senses a presence. Something supernatural lurks in the house and she begins to believe that her grandfather was trying to find something before he died. When her friend Steph (Hannah Race) arrives they attempt to solve the mystery and what they uncover together forces them to confront the diabolical truth and the evil that hides inside.
Echoes of Fear received its World Premiere at the 18th annual Shriekfest Horror Festival, the longest running horror festival in Los Angeles, where it won Best Supernatural Horror Feature. 14 festivals have since followed and the film has won six Best Feature Awards. Directors: Brian Avenet-Bradley, Laurence Avenet-Bradley (co-director). Writer: Brian Avenet-Bradley.
Ghost stories are old hat, however get the telling of one right and you have the best sort of hiding-behind-the-duvet-assisted viewing that you can get. ECHOES OF FEAR is excellent and it brought to mind the THE PACT (2012), with which shares some plot similarities, however it still manages to surprise with its constant plot twists and turns. The jump scares work (normally I am immune to them) and the unravelling story keeps you guessing throughout.
Unlike the majority of lower budget horror fare that comes my way ECHOES OF FEAR delivers on all levels and whisks you along with its brisk pacing, terrific camerawork and a relentless musical score that rarely leaves the action onscreen, providing an almost constant accompaniment. With house pipes clogged with long black hair, net curtains springing to life and wrapping around our female lead and a cowardly handyman running away from the house, there’s plenty of incident here to keep even the most jaded horror fan entertained.