Max receives another text, instructing him to return to Omaha, Nebraska, where he first worked as a computer security engineer. The sole exception, Martin Sheen, tries a little too hard to infuse the pulp with importance by shouting during key scenes. Only Martin Sheen is trying something a little different, playing against type as a hawkish head of the NSA, where he gets to do a little frothing at the mouth. Max (Shane West), a young American computer engineer, acquires a mobile phone that receives strange text messages. The first one advises him to change his flight home. Like the movie itself he comes across as nave, overly-earnest, awkward, and less charming than he thinks. Tick . The plot, in brief: The Bush Administration directs its Shadowy Intelligence Agency to override Congress and capture every bit of electronic data in the world, then to analyze it for potential terrorist threats. Both bets are made on the basis of further text messages he receives on his new phone. For most of a century, the Soviets incarcerated, exiled or murdered those who spoke out against the government. Privacy Policy Dont worry, it wont take long. SPOILER AHEAD: The movie ends with a twist: the party responsible for ending the Evil American Plot is the Russian Secret Police. Echelon Conspiracy (232) 5.7 1 h 45 min 2009 X-Ray PG-13 Mysterious cell phone messages promise a young American engineer untold wealth - then make him the target of a deadly international plot. Agent Grant calls Burke at the NSA to inform him; nonetheless, Burke wants the Echelon in the global network in the interests of US national security. His job, while in office, is to create division and try to dismantle America's democracy by sewing distrust in the system, eventually leading to an outright rebellion against the government and the start of a second civil war. An actress named Tamara Feldman is on hand to provide a little eye candy. It is then suggested that he buy a certain stock; its price skyrockets by more than 300%. Name and both e-mail fields are required. The actors including Jonathan Pryce as a haughty zillionaire, Sergey Gubanov as a fortuitously tech-savvy cabbie and Tamara Feldman as the requisite beauty with ambiguous motives are, for the most part, thoroughgoing pros who wisely refrain from trying to transcend the pulpy material. An action packed thriller with an all star cast, Echelon Conspiracy will have you on the edge of your seats from start to finish. Mysterious cell phone messages promise a young American engineer untold wealth - then make him the target of a deadly international plot. What I cant abide are bald lies about history, slanderous accusations about my country, and the offering up of murderers as heroes. When Ray begins to play the violin at school, it's obvious that he has talent and an affinity for music. Then again, perhaps I'm giving him too much credit, since neither his expression nor his tone vary by one iota during the course of the entire movie. . He first wins one-hundred thousand euro on a slot machine and bets the entire amount on a hand of blackjack, which he wins. Or whether, if one is trying to avoid suspicion, it is a good idea to hit two enormous slot jackpots in the same casino on the same night.Max and his magic phone become the hot potato bouncing between macho FBI agent Grant (Ving Rhames) and his former partner Reed (Ed Burns) who, in yet another amazing coincidence, happens to be a security director at the Prague casino where Max strikes it rich. Even more unfortunately, Max also attracts the attention of a hardboiled FBI agent (Ving Rhames) with ties to a hard-line National Security Administration chief (Martin Sheen). Bobby Tahouri composed the thunderous musical score, and it, too, is very loud. It was done to further Italy and Germany's governance model to make the richer even richer and in control. Ever since he was a kid, he heard his grandmother talk about his "Pop-Pop's" fiddle. Together, Ray and his violin take the world by storm. But you know what that made it? PG-13 (Sequences of Intense Violence|Sequences of Intense Action|Brief Language|Some Sexuality), Action, (And thank goodness for thatkeep reading.). Echelon Conspiracy (2009) Mysterious cell phone messages promise a young American engineer untold wealth - then make him the target of a deadly international plot. echelon conspiracy ending explained 3 Beds | 1 Bath | 1,344 SQFT. Token theatrical run wont generate much interest, but viewers might be pleasantly surprised when this globe-trotting techno-thriller reboots as homevid and cable fare. There are surely a lot of fascinating stories here: How such a rancid wreck got made in the first place; how it didnt end up going directly to DVD; how so many A-list actors such as Ving Rhames, Jonathan Pryce, Ed Burns and Martin Sheen got involved; why screenwriters Michael Nitsberg and Kevin Elders figured they could rip off the end of War Gamesat times, nearly line-by-lineand that no one would notice; and how a movie with a reasonably interesting premise, at least one notable idea at its heart, and enough Bush-bashing to please every liberal film critic in America could end up (as of this writing) with a rare 0% on Rotten Tomatoes. Ed Burns and Ving Rhames play former FBI partners who start out on opposite sides and end up helping Max. Or whether that stunning woman (Tamara Feldman) he keeps running into at the casino is really so eager to invite him back to her place just to show off her cooking. Jonathan Pryce portrays a mysterious billionaire working behind the scenes. Coming Soon. Mysterious phone messages prompt the deadly targeting of a young American engineer. Meanwhile, Max fails to stop Echelon's replication countdown, until he takes the idea of using the computer self-learning ability (also in 1968 Star Trek episode The Ultimate Computer and in 1983 WarGames). Twisty scenario by scripters Michael Nitsberg and Kevin Elders focuses on Max Peterson (Shane West), a computer security analyst who receives a state-of-the-art cell phone from an unknown benefactor while on assignment in Bangkok. After arrival, the group finds a sealed-up bunker-like structure with a cache of servers and a high-end computer system that Max helped install years earlier and is revealed to belong to another victim of Echelon's messages - the same person whose credit card was used to send Max the phone. Although the lead role is played by the relatively anonymous Shane West, who at times seems to be channeling Neil Patrick Harris, nearly everyone else has some kind of resume. The film is a found-footage one, which means that the footage can be MANIPULATED, relating back to the main word of the title; CONSPIRACY. The plots are uncannily, downright litigatably alike, each involving a young man conscripted into a techno-conspiracy and its resultant car chases and shoot-outs via cell phones, traffic cameras, and a government too eager and enabled to hunt down and rummage through the personal data of any of us it feels like.Both are pretty stupid and implausible movies, so on balance one would predict that Eagle Eye makes for the better viewing experience. They shuttered churches. Perhaps the greatest conundrum left unanswered by this film is that if the government is populated by roster of nincompoops, how did the God Computer come into being in the first place? Echelon is just plain dumb, but honest about it, a B-minus idea finally in its appropriate trappings, clicking along without inhibition.Shane West is kind of ideal for his lead role as tech nerd Max Peterson. Variety and the Flying V logos are trademarks of Variety Media, LLC. There, Max reconnects with the techie Yuri to get his help in discovering who is sending the messages. "Echelon Conspiracy" combines a righteous message about out-of-control government surveillance with the old computer-gone-haywire plot to make - well, not very much, actually. Echelon Conspiracy is a 2009 American action thriller film directed by Greg Marcks, from a screenplay by Michael Nitsberg and Kevin Alyn Elders. They buried three generations of Russian human potential under the greed and arrogance and abject evil of leaders without the slightest interest in human rights, democracy, liberty or the freedom of individuals to make their own livesmuch less make their own movies. Synopsis. Ving Rhames is once again stuck playing the tough-guy-with-a-heart-of-gold part. At this point, Agent Grant contacts Raymond Burke (Martin Sheen) of the NSA, apparently monitoring Max because of messages from an omniscient communication surveillance computer system known as Echelon. Variety is a part of Penske Media Corporation. He does, and the plane he was supposed to be on crashes. Mystery & thriller. Unfortunately, his nonstop success arouses the suspicion of the casino security chief (Edward Burns, billed here as Ed Burns). The bottom line of The Echelon Conspiracy is that democracy is saved by the measured moral judgment of leftover communists. They directly oppressed the people of Eastern Europe, and held the free world hostage to nuclear weapons. Questions like, why the cabbie (Sergey Gubanov) who meets him at the airport just happens to be a card-carrying expert at hacking the exact phone he has. Burke eventually decides that Max knows too much and must be eliminated; however, Reed and the beautiful woman from the hotel now revealed as Reed's associate come to Max's aid and spirit him away to Moscow. Even more unfortunately, Max also attracts the attention of a hardboiled FBI agent (Ving Rhames) with ties to a hard-line National Security Administration chief (Martin Sheen). , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes. So after about a week of thought, Im going to take a whack at the meaning of the game. He receives an anonymous gift: a phone which sends messages that enable him to win at a casino. Distributor: After Dark Pictures Run Time: 1:45 U.S. Release Date: 2009-02-27 Just leave us a message here and we will work on getting you verified. Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company. Text messages from "unknown" start popping up. Max and Reed don't agree but flee when more armed men arrive at Yuri's apartment. 2023 Variety Media, LLC. It is part of him. He feels it. "PG-13" (Violence, Profanity, Sexual Situations), I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry (2007), (There are no more better movies of Shane West), (There are no more worst movies of Shane West), (There are no more better movies of Edward Burns). The semi celebrity is forced to run for President of the United States. While the actors were prominently featured in the movie, it is everything around them that told the true story of Eyes Wide Shut. ECHELON CONSPIRACY Directed by Greg Marcks, Written By: Michael Nitsberg and Kevin Elders, Starring: Shane West, Edward Burns, Ving Rhames, and Martin Sheen, Rated PG-13 (violence, language, and one mild sex scene). The actors including Jonathan Pryce as a haughty zillionaire, Sergey Gubanov as a fortuitously tech-savvy cabbie and Tamara Feldman as the requisite beauty with ambiguous motives are, for the most part, thoroughgoing pros who wisely refrain from trying to transcend the pulpy material. During a lot of the action sequences, there's a lot of annoying jerky camera movements. Max then has an altercation with a beautiful woman (Tamara Feldman) and her jealous boyfriend in the hotel corridor, where he is knocked-out and his mysterious phone is apparently scanned. But on the eve of the renowned and cutthroat Tchaikovsky Competitionthe Olympics of classical musicthe violin is stolen, a ransom . First they encourage him to miss his flight which crashes soon after takeoff. The storyline hinges on contrivances so exaggerated and circumstances so implausible that it's never possible to take the movie seriously. Soon, though, government agents pursue the young engineer receiving them around the world. Granted, the filmmakers show some wit in casting Hollywood leftie Martin Sheen as the cantankerous head of the NSA, with a picture of George W. Bush on his office wall. In the end, Agent Grant and Reed send Max and Kamila to Paris while Burke is subpoenaed to appear before the Senate Intelligence Committee for his decision that endangering the US itself. THIS STORY HAS BEEN FORMATTED FOR EASY PRINTING, (separate multiple addresses with commas). Grateful and greatly impressed, Max follows subsequent text-message tips: He flies to Prague, checks into another luxury hotel and wins big every time he gambles in the hotel casino. I believe that after Aaron was murdered, the Tarsus Club threatened Jim into making the ending of the film the way it was, with the interviewees concocting lies on the camera to drive away conspiracy theorists. And, no, I didn't like it any better when it was called Eagle Eye. They practice every day. Little notice was taken until 1997 when an obscure book by Nicky Hager, Secret Power explained the role and function of ECHELON in more depth. The core plot of Amsterdam is based on the conspiracy in 1933 that was unraveled by Major General Smedley Butler to oust the democratic government led by President Roosevelt and install a dictator. Max Peterson is a globe-trotting techno-whiz who installs security systems on computers. He immediately asks her out for a drink. Bad things, mostly, and I giggled at them more than once. There's nothing in "Echelon Conspiracy" as suspenseful or entertaining as your average episode of "24," despite similar high-tech gibberish and a national-security HQ that's almost as impressive as the Channel 7 news set. And the U.S. as the bad guy? Max then has an altercation with a beautiful woman (Tamara Feldman) and her jealous boyfriend in the hotel corridor, where he is knocked-out, and his mysterious phone is apparently scanned. Classical music stars lead surprisingly monotonous lives. Dangerous security operatives chase the engineer across the globe, while a powerful government official pursues a mysterious agenda that threatens the stability of the . Find showtimes and theaters for 'Echelon Conspiracy', Report: Warrant Issued for Roggies Bar Owner, Boston Pops Concert Move Keeps the Beach Boys, Ditches Joey McIntyre, Lawmakers pass compounding pharmacy oversight bill, Follow this list on Twitter: @BostonPopular. Boston.com does not share this information or keep it permanently, as it is for the sole purpose of sending this one time e-mail. While it's reasonable to accept a certain degree of the "dumbing down" of complex concepts in the service of an entertaining story, there's little about Echelon Conspiracy that's watchable, let alone enjoyable. FBI Agent Dave Grant (Ving Rhames) interrupts the chase and handcuffs Max to interrogate him about the phone. Eagle eye clone but this has some terrible plotting. Its position within the U.S. intelligence community was at . Echelon Conspiracy (United States, 2009) Director: Greg Marcks Cast: Shane West, Edward Burns, Ving Rhames, Sergey Gubanov, Martin Sheen, Tamara Feldman, Jonathan Pryce Screenplay: Kevin Elders, Michael Nitsberg Cinematography: Lorenzo Senatore Music: Bobby Tahouri U.S. Regal Dangerous security operatives chase the engineer across the globe, while a powerful government official pursues a mysterious agenda that threatens the stability of the entire world. Skip to primary content The sole exception, Martin Sheen, tries a little too hard to infuse the pulp with importance by shouting during key scenes. Marvel Movies Ranked Worst to Best by Tomatometer, Jurassic Park Movies Ranked By Tomatometer, The Mandalorian Season 3 First Reviews: Still the Best Star Wars TV Show, Critics Say. Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting. Tamara Feldman is the deadly hottie who beds Max for her job and ends up falling for him. Any similarities between the two pics may be purely coincidental, but "Echelon Conspiracy" plays an awful lot like a direct-to-vid knockoff of last year's "Eagle Eye.". Marcks' recipe is to combine mistrust of the government with technophobia and a general paranoia about shadow organizations, stir those ingredients in a pot(boiler) with some formulaic chases and shoot-outs, and have all of this brought to life by B-level actors. yawn. AKA: , 735,079,604 bytes, Echelon Conspiracy [Edited by VeRdiKT], The Gift. A brawl in Prague, a car chase in Moscow, and then it's back to an abandoned bunker in Nebraska for a final showdown with . [more review to follow]. Dangerous security operatives chase the engineer across the globe, while a powerful government official pursues a mysterious agenda . Sheen, tries a little too hard to infuse the pulp with importance by shouting during key scenes of action... 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