ICYMI, Amazon Prime gave us another encounter with dazzling actor Riz Ahmed (“Sound of Metal”) for the holidays. Good gift, much like we didn’t ask for it, but there was a pleasant surprise when it was unwrapped. And if you think a film about a father and his boys is another schmaltzy film with predictable tropes and elementary scripting, think again.
The Michael Pearce-directed film begins by shoving us all in the movie halfway through it. At least, it felt that way. Adrenaline spiking with the sight of Riz Ahmed amid an encounter of his own. He’s in some low-rent motel room, spraying himself profusely with Off and killing any Texas-sized cockroach he can find.
Why? That’s the thing. It’s not because of a dry-heat infestation of mosquitoes throttling your PB&J sandwich picnic.
There has been an alien invasion, and Malik (Ahmed) is one of few people left on the planet who is not infected with these parasitic creatures focused on global domination through the people who inhabit it. At least, that’s what Malik thinks. We see it too. The opening credits aren’t even over, and there’s news of this alien invasion right in your face. Blood pressure shoots up immediately. Goosebumps rise. And we commence to freak out.
However, “Encounter” is a family story of devotion and sacrifice wrapped in a galactic box of extraterrestrials and irate dung beetles. There is no denying the extent of Malik’s paternal duty to protect his boys, if only it didn’t take so long to get there.
The Long Road Home
“Encounter” has a methodical, slow pace to show the complete picture. Still, if you are squeamish about bugs or have a severe bout of entomophobia, this may not be the introductory sci-fi film for you. If you saw the John Carpenter classic, “The Thing,” you understand. It’s not the bugs that are the problem but the microorganisms within them. They’re everywhere, and the world is in a crisis. Yet, Malik’s estranged wife Piya (Janina Gavankar) isn’t that convinced. So, she reports her sons abducted, and we go with the show. (Point of note: She does have a point considering Malik broke into her house at 2 a.m. for a “race” to see who can get to Daddy’s car first. So, there’s that.)
Malik ignores her rambling, rescues his sons, and spends the rest of the film running from the funk he can’t see.
We spend much of the film watching this distressed Marine keeping his children from the elements and the enemy, but that’s only the backdrop. “Encounter” has a double meaning because those two boys have an encounter with a side of their father they never knew. Jay (Lucian-River Chauhan) and Bobby (Aditya Geddada) are thoroughly convincing as Malik’s sons. The boys spend every moment captivated by the world they know outside and with this man they thought they knew inside.
Riz Ahmed commands the film. His words are visceral, and his emotions are tangible. But the movie still seems somehow typical.
The focal point is the journey with Malik and his sons, who may as well be singing “Life is a Highway” when suddenly *BOOM*. This film goes crash test dummy head-on into a transition that jettisons the audience from their seats. Sure, we see it coming, but it still makes a thud when you crash. After all, Malik does set up the movie when he shares with the boys this is “a crazy road trip with your cool-ass dad!”
(Oh yeah. Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer is in the movie. Why not talk more about her? Because Pearce didn’t seem to care that much about her involvement either. You’ll see, if you haven’t already.)
The final destination of the encounter ends rather abruptly. Consider “Encounter” as the road trip it is. To encapsulate: The journey was entertaining–full of irrefutable sights, eerie sounds, and some outlandish detours. However, once we got there, WallyWorld was closed and everyone was a little bummed. (And if you don’t get that film reference, we can’t be friends.)
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Since he saw ‘Dune’ in the $1 movie theater as a kid, this guy has been a lover of geek culture. It wasn’t until he became a professional copywriter, ghostwriter, and speechwriter that he began to write about it (a lot).
From the gravitas of the Sith, the genius of Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, or the gluttony of today’s comic fan, SPW digs intelligent debate about entertainment. He’s also addicted to listicles, storytelling, useless trivia, and the Oxford comma. And, he prefers his puns intended.
