About the film (courtesy of Amazon Studios):
A decorated Marine goes on a rescue mission to save his two young sons from a mysterious threat. As their journey takes them in increasingly dangerous directions, the boys will need to leave their childhoods behind.
Encounter is a slow-burn sci-fi thriller that feels more like a psychological drama. Its plot is interesting, albeit not gripping, as it methodically plays out over 108 minutes. Riz Ahmed, as the lead actor, portrays a disturbed former Marine who is dealing with an enemy that no one else can see. His performance is the key to this film’s success or failure due to the fact that everything goes through him.
Riz Ahmed provides some emotionally charged acting that assist in making the plot more palatable than it rightfully could be. The concept of Encounter is better than what plays out on screen. Writer/director Michael Pearce doesn’t have enough weapons, even with Oscar-winning Octavia Spencer attempting to lend her skills to a smaller supporting role. No one else is really in a position to give this story a fighting chance. Lucian-River Chauhan and Aditya Geddada don’t have anything to hang their heads about either as they are both good in their roles portraying the sons of Ahmed.
What starts off as interesting and compelling, soon becomes boring and draining. Encounter never reaches its potential, leaving audiences with an unfulfilled feeling while wondering/hoping if there’s more to be revealed and explored. Taking into account his success with his feature film directorial debut Beast (2017), Michael Pearce has certainly done more with less. For whatever reason, this effort just doesn’t click.
There’s nowhere near enough substance to recommend seeing Encounter in theaters, where it is exclusively playing at this point. But since it’s not a total bust and there are a few decent qualities about this film, you’ll be pleased to know that you can watch this one in the comfort of your own home starting Friday, December 10th assuming you are a Prime Video subscriber.
