Earth to Echo

It would be easy to dismiss Earth to Echo as E.T. for the social-media age. It would be more accurate to dismiss it as a half-realized tale of male bonding and childhood innocence with a silly science-fiction twist.

On the surface, there are some similarities between Steven Spielberg’s 1982 masterpiece and this innocuous adventure about three bike-riding, socially awkward, preteen boys who befriend an alien longing to return home. But it’s best for both parties to stop the comparisons there.

Earth to Echo certainly has its heart in the right place with its wholesome depiction of childhood friendships, yet as an adventure with its roots in outer space, the film somehow never takes flight.

The story follows tech-savvy best friends Alex (Teo Halm), Tuck (Brian “Astro” Bradley) and Munch (Reese Hartwig) on their final night together before their families are forced to relocate because of a construction project through their suburban Nevada neighborhood.

With camera in tow, they decide to sneak into the desert overnight to investigate some encrypted messages that have disabled their cell phones, eventually tracing the disturbance to a timid, diminutive alien stranded in an abandoned barn.

They try to figure out why it’s there and what it wants, slightly fearful of the answers. They name it Echo. They share their secret with a classmate (Ella Wahlestedt). They find it has mysterious powers. And they realize it’s an experience that none of them will ever forget.

The film, directed by newcomer Dave Green, unfortunately employs the found-footage conceit, perhaps to disguise its low budget or the relative inexperience of the filmmakers. As a result, the visual approach is both annoying and distracting.

That’s a shame, because the actors playing the trio of precocious young protagonists develop a convincing and endearing rapport, and it’s likely that children of a similar age can identify with their social isolation and their sense of mischief. The structure of the film dictates that the audience discovers secrets about Echo right along with the characters. And the script mostly conveys an appropriate mix of curiosity and reticence in their reaction to the strange goings-on.

Earth to Echo has a feisty spirit that makes you wish the script had the courage to follow through on its convictions. Instead, the extraterrestrial interloper isn’t given much in the way of motive or personality. It’s best when there’s more Earth, and less Echo.

Rated PG, 91 minutes.