Ahmed’s performance anchors tense, imperfect drama
First, a heads up about the new movie Encounter: it is *not* a sci-fi movie. Despite the title, trailer, and marketing copy all seemingly indicating that’s what we’re in for, the film’s publicity team has done a bait and switch. So if you’re a huge sci-fi fan and think the trailer looks intriguing — as I did — know that instead what you’re getting with this picture is actually a serviceable psychological drama. I’ll also warn you that if you get stressed out by watching gross creepy insects and children in peril, this picture probably isn’t for you.
If you’re still reading this far because the above opening piqued your interest, I’ll give you the briefest of plot summaries, since revealing too much would ruin the film’s twists. Malik, an ex-Marine played by the always great Riz Ahmed, has knowledge of an imminent alien threat. To evade the predators and protect his two sons, 10-year-old Jay (Lucian-River Chauhan) and younger brother Bobby (Aditya Geddada), Malik embarks on a road trip with them through California and Nevada. He tells the boys they’re on a rescue mission, and he’s taking them to safety at the military base where he’s been working the past two years.
Director Michael Pearce and screenwriter Joe Barton open the film by establishing why Malik is so sure of the danger, and they do an effective job of creating an ominous, menacing atmosphere. The aliens, we’re told, are tiny parasitic organisms that live inside hosts–a person, an animal, or a bug can be a threat. Any time we see a cockroach or flying insect (and there are a lot of them!), we instantly get freaked out. Even looking into the eyes of a store clerk becomes disturbing: what could be lurking behind those eyes that suddenly seem frightening? When we see Malik packing his car with bug spray and a gun, and warning his boys that everyone they meet is a potential threat, we immediately feel ill at ease, and we worry for the boys’ safety. This feeling of foreboding lasts throughout the film, and doesn’t always make for a pleasant viewing experience.
The film’s tension eventually comes to a head in a way that isn’t always totally plausible or fully satisfying. The picture’s ending, in particular, feels tacked on, as if Barton couldn’t figure out a decent way to wrap up his story, so just shrugged his shoulders and gave up. Until that point, though, the anxiety of not knowing what’s going to happen to Malik and his sons is enough to hold our interest, even as it makes us uncomfortable. The first-rate acting also helps keep us invested during the script’s weaker moments.
Ahmed, who was nominated for an Oscar for last year’s stellar Sound of Metal, continues here to prove himself one of today’s best working actors, turning in a nuanced and often heartbreaking performance as a father whose internal struggles never lessen his love for his sons. And young Geddada, and especially Chauhan, as the oldest son, show depth beyond their years, portraying their unconditional love for their father, despite their increasing vulnerability, confusion, and fear. Octavia Spencer, in a smaller, but vital role, also gets a few moments to shine, particularly in a few scenes where she has to put up with some condescending mansplaining from men who underestimate her skills and talents.
Pearce and Barton have the germ of a good idea here, but those who might be most interested in their story and its psychological underpinnings may skip the film because of its faulty marketing. Tricking sci-fi fans into the theater does a disservice to those cinephiles who might appreciate the film, had it only been advertised honestly.
—————————-
Encounter opens in select theaters today, and will be available on Amazon on Dec. 10th.
