Encounter (2021 | USA | 108 minutes | Michael Pearce)
Defined by missed potential, Encounter sees Riz Ahmed giving a committed central performance that is let down by the meandering narrative of the rest of the film around him.
Discussion of plot points requires treading carefully as there is some degree of misdirection that, while not wholly convincing, still defines the early parts of the film. Put simply, Encounter is the story of a father named Malik Khan (Ahmed) who takes his sons on an extended road trip to protect them from a looming danger. As established by introductory montage, Khan believes this threat is not of this Earth and is seemingly transmitted by insects taking over the bodies of humans as hosts. This means that the only way to protect his sons Bobby (Aditya Geddada) and Jay (Lucian-River Chauhan) is to take drastic action.
This action gets him in trouble with the law, leaving the trio with nowhere to turn as they must hide from both a government meant to protect them and the threats they find along the way. It is consistently tense, defined by the relationships between Malik and his sons. Ahmed is completely committed, bringing compassion and care to his character who is deeply broken by a multiple traumatic tours in the military. He’s complemented by strong child performances by both Aditya and Lucian-River, with the latter really proving he can hold his own to sustain some key moments.
The film is also confidently directed by Michael Pearce, giving us glimpses of beauty in the natural landscape of the southwest of the United States even as the characters’ world is in chaos. He completely brings you into the world by creating a stripped down and grounded feeling to the film. In its most convincing and tense initial scenes, it resembles 2016’s Midnight Special by seeming like it may be a science fiction infused family drama about escape. Despite any such initial reference points, Encounter still becomes a film very much all its own. The best parts remain the characters at the core, something that recalls Peace’s debut feature from 2017: Beast. It is just a shame this story is not nearly as compelling.
What made Beast so completely overwhelming and enthralling was how its deceptively simple story eased you into its complexity. Like Encounter, it was defined by many interesting visual sequences and motifs. The disconnect comes from how Encounter becomes far too caught up in plotting and loses sight of ensuring it maintains the strong core at the center. It telegraphs much of its intentions, becoming far too paint-by-numbers as it adds unnecessary developments to create a tension that never deepens.
By the time the film reaches its bombastic conclusion, everything is just getting thrown at the screen with reckless abandon and a painful lack of anything resembling subletely. You feel stress as you fear for the characters with the outcome that they are racing towards, but it all ends up becoming oddly hollow the longer it all goes on. The late introduction of Octavia Spencer’s Hattie, one of the sole caring forces in Malik’s life, is one such element that feels undercooked and largely superficial. Spencer is another fantastic performer, making it all the more regrettable how she too isn’t utilized to her full potential. Her role in the events leading up to the climatic scene feels like an afterthought, a strange narrative decision that never feels like it has any impact.
The saving grace remains Ahmed whose performance carries the entire film on his back. You completely believe every moment of his steady decline that, even as the film approaches it with less tact, is overflowing with emotion. You see the flaws and failings of Malik as a father, making the moments where he shows love to his sons all the more painful. Ahmed is one of the best actors working today and one can only hope he finds himself in films that are more deserving of his talents as Encounter just isn’t up to the task.
You can watch Encounter in select theaters on December 3rd and on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10th.