“Earth to Echo” easy-going sci-fi film for youths

If you’re over the age of 18 you may well want to skip the adventure movie “Earth to Echo,” playing at the Carson Galaxy cineplex. It’s about three kids who face relocation as their subdivision is going to be torn down for a new highway. The three: Teo Halm as Alex; Brian “Astro” Bradley as Tuck; Reese Hartwig as Munch, and latecomer

Ella Wahlestedt as Emma.

It all starts when the three boys start picking up strange messages on their iPhones, leading them on a chase in Nevada. They come across a alien midget, stranded on Earth and the rest of the film is about helping Echo, as they name him, get his spaceship back together from their back yard, with Emma’s help.

This is a combination of computer generated images and shaky hand-held cameras (not good if you suffer from motion sickness). It’s done in the modern youth teen tempo of flashing images, jerky scenes and incoherent (to adults) film action. All ends well and Echo escapes and the kids movie on.

Basically for the subteen set and PG rated

Cast

•Teo Halm as Alex

•Brian “Astro” Bradley as Tuck

•Reese Hartwig as Munch

•Ella Wahlestedt as Emma

•Jason Gray-Stanford as Dr. Lawrence Masden

•Alga Smith as Marcus Simms

•Cassius Willis as Calvin Simms

•Sonya Leslie as Theresa Simms

•Kerry O’Malley as Janice Douglas

•Virginia Louise Smith as Betty Barrett

•Peter Mackenzie as James Hastings

•Valerie Wildman as Christine Hastings

•Roger Hewlett as Construction Worker #2

•Mary Pat Gleason as Dusty (Mullet Lady at Bar)

•Marilyn Giacomazzi as Bar Patron #2

•Frank Lloyd as Bar Patron #3

•Chris Wylde as Security Guard

•Brooke Dillman as Diner Waitress

•Myk Watford as Blake Douglas

•Tiffany Espensen as Charlie (School Friend #1)

•Israel Broussard as Cameron (Kid that pushes Tuck)

•Drake Kemper as Mookie

•Sara Arrington as Munch’s Mother’s Friend

••Directed by

•Dave Green

•Produced by

•Ryan Kavanaugh

•Andrew Panay

•Screenplay by

•Henry Gayden

•Story by

•Henry Gayden

•Andrew Panay

•Music by

•Joseph Trapanese

•Cinematography

•Maxime Alexandre

•Edited by

•Carsten Kurpanek

•Crispin Struthers

•Running time

•89 minutes, rated PG

The Associated Press contributed to this report.