Every time there is a debate on aliens, the most common discussion is whether or not they’ll be hostile or come in peace. If the aliens that make first contact on Earth are anything like the ones in The Encounter, then I think it’s safe to say things are not going to go well. I know that I, personally, would not enjoy getting clawed in the chest, bleeding from my eyes and having my friends turned into ravenous crazy people…
The Encounter was written and directed by Robert Conway, his previous feature film being the Kane Hodder and Tiffany Shepis fronted Exit to Hell in 2013. The Encounter stars Clint James, Owen Conway, Megan Drust, Eliza Kiss, Paulina Vallin, Louie Iaccarino, Dan Higgins, Monica Engesser, Pat Kaye and Chad T. Krolczyk.
“When Collin Bastrow is found in the forest, alone and afraid, he has a shocking story to tell. As he struggles to recount the events of the previous night his memories return in a series of horrific flashes of what became of his friends and fiancée. What started as a simple camping trip in the mountains of Northern Arizona quickly descended into an amazing and terrifying story that is truly out of this world. As the sole survivor of this deadly close encounter Collin must try and explain the unexplainable.” – IMDB
When you release a product such as a song, a book or in this case a movie, it’s always important to grab your audience from the start. With The Encounter it was a genius idea to kick the feature off with prominent home video “evidence” of UFO sightings before showcasing an eerily realistic close encounter at an aviation base. Obviously this movie’s demographic is the population obsessed with science fiction, space exploration and those who want to believe there is life on other planets. Starting The Encounter the way they did, at least in my case, was a smart hook and one that will ensure viewers will stay tuned in for at least the first twenty minutes. After they initially encounter this title, is the rest of the movie strong enough to hold interest? I’m honestly not sure… But here’s a few positives that kept me from shutting off my review copy.
First, all of the characters were marginally enjoyable so you don’t have a cast filled with canon fodder. There’s three interconnecting stories taking place on one mountain; even if you don’t like one group you should still find something endearing in the other two. My favorite character by far was Ranger Alice (played by Eliza Kiss) and I wish we got to see more of her. Secondly, I was a little iffy on the CGI but all of the practical effects were really well done. Major props to Cory VanDenBos for his hard work. Overall, The Encounter was put together well and it does have a few creepy moments, which is what viewers will really be looking for. When the shit hits the fan, The Encounter mixes science fiction with horror effortlessly and you can expect a wild ride… A wild UFO ride? It’s not cheap on thrills, chills and suspense.
The only thing I can critique is doing The Encounter as a found footage film. I just can’t help but hate them. The Encounter is told through trail cams, home video, and state correspondence, so I do have to say it’s not all fuzz and jerky movements. It’s actually a decent indie flick, but the found footage part makes me go… eh.
Final Score: 7 out of 10
