"Stir Of Echoes" was one of the better horror movies I had seen in a while when it came out. It still remains one I revisit from time to time. I grew up watching Freddy and Jason hack people up, but now I prefer stories that don’t rely on the number of different ways people can be mauled in a 2 hour period. "Stir Of Echoes" is really more of a supernatural thriller\mystery in the vein of 6th Sense, but it has some great moments of fright.

We start with a normal blue-collar family. Well, almost normal. The 5 year old talks to dead people, and after an experiment with hypnosis so does the dad, only his experiences are far more disturbing. Tom, a person who didn't ascribe to paranormal mubo-jumbo, becomes a man obsessed with the mysteries of the dead. He must get them out of his head one way or another no matter the cost, and that may be everything he has including his life.

The first aspect that strikes me is the depiction of the family. They aren’t blissfully happy, and they aren’t facing divorce. They are a couple faced with the problems of life and working on it together. They are established and have come to the realization, as so many of us have, that they haven’t achieved all they want in life. It’s a far better portrayal of blue-collar family life than what I’ve seen in most movies.

The use of the supernatural is more subtle than in similar movies. There are some jolting and some disturbing moments, but the reliance is not on shock value. The ghost Tom sees, for example, is not all that gruesome. She’s made creepy by unnatural movements and human reactions rather than gore. Not that the breaking fingernail didn't make me cringe, but that's only part of the creepiness.

While the familial and ghostly elements are exceptionally well written, there are some flaws in the story. The psychic son is overused. I think the story could have been improved by tighter focus on Tom’s plight and interaction with the supernatural. I feel like this is his and the ghost's story yet the kid becomes the focus for periods of time. I won't say that the son's part of the story feels unimportant; Tom's increasingly weird interactions with him add a lot to the atmosphere, but neither does it feel like it should be as central as it sometimes comes across.

Also, the mystic clan feels out of place. A member of the group approaches the family and does give the wife some answers, but the secret meeting place scene just doesn't fit with the rest of the movie.

Kevin Bacon is outstanding. He really digs into this role to bring across the fatherly qualities and scared obsession. All of the acting is pretty good lending strength and credibility to the story, but Kevin's really stands out. The kid does a fairly good job in his role, although some of his scenes don’t feel natural. He has a strong 6th Sense Haley Joel Osment feel to him without being as good (perhaps why this one was overshadowed by the other). I keep expecting to hear him say, "I see dead people."

While not actually always scary, there is a great element of mystery and a solid creepy atmosphere that make this a DVD I get out regularly during the Halloween season. It might not be enough to keep you awake at night, but it might well give nightmares to the sensitive. If you don't particularly like horror movies you don't want to watch this one alone.