Director Kane Senes’ western Echoes of War resurrects some very familiar themes as  we witness the homecoming of a man who has faced the brutalities of war and now finds himself struggling of adjust to life after battle.  James Badge Dale, Ethan Embry and William Forsythe lead the cast in this morally conflicted period piece which yearns to reminds us how wonderful the western genre is, but ultimately finds itself lost on the frontier.

Wade (James Badge Dale) returns home to Texas after the end of the Civil War to his brother in law Seamus’ (Ethan Embry) farm to help mend his family after the passing of his sister. Seamus tends to his farm with his daughter Abigail (Maika Monroe) and his son Samuel (Owen Teague), both of whom idolize Wade and convince the weary farmer to allow their uncle to stay. Wade begins to settle in and Seamus puts him right to work assisting in the daily chores. During a run to check the traps for food, Wade and Samuel come across Dillard McCluskey (Ryan O’Nan), son of Randolph McCluskey (William Forsythe), neighbor to Seamus and cattle owner who has fallen on hard times stealing their catch. Feeling that he must takes it upon himself to put a stop to the McCluskey’s stealing his families food, Wade confronts the elder McCluskey, which sparks a battle between the families. With tensions running high, will anyone be left standing when the dust settles?

Co-writers John Chriss and Kane Senes have provided a screenplay filled with way too many western cliche’s and not enough original content. Senes, in his feature film directorial debut, has an understanding of how the story should play out, but the sluggish pace of the film causes this film to spiral out of control. The acting in the film is also very hit or miss. James Badge Dale is very one dimensional in his role as the war veteran. The role seemed ripe for some intense scenes but never captured the true nature of a man returning from war. William Forsythe‘s role is also lost in interpretation. Acting as the antagonist in the film, you neither understand, nor do you care, why the events of his past have lead to the man he is now. The relationship between Ethan Embry‘s Seamus and Randolph really needed to be flushed out more in the telling. Maika Monroe, coming off the critically acclaimed film It Follows, is never truly given the opportunity to show off the acting skills in this film as her character plays out most of the film with the same somber delivery.

Overall, Echoes of War is a film that struggles to resonate any true enjoyment for its viewers. A story that is not all that bad, but is destined to ride off into the sunset and out of our memories.

Stars:

2  out of 5

After Credit Scene?

No

Trailer: