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IMDbPro

Encounter

  • 2021
  • R
  • 1h 48m
IMDb RATING
5.9/10
10K
YOUR RATING
Octavia Spencer and Riz Ahmed in Encounter (2021)
A decorated Marine goes on a rescue mission to save his two young sons from an unhuman threat. As their journey takes them in increasingly dangerous directions, the boys will need to leave their childhoods behind.
Play trailer2:31
5 Videos
8 Photos
DramaSci-FiThriller

Two brothers embark on a journey with their father, who is trying to protect them from an alien threat.Two brothers embark on a journey with their father, who is trying to protect them from an alien threat.Two brothers embark on a journey with their father, who is trying to protect them from an alien threat.

  • Director
    • Michael Pearce
  • Writers
    • Joe Barton
    • Michael Pearce
  • Stars
    • Riz Ahmed
    • Octavia Spencer
    • Lucian-River Chauhan
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    5.9/10
    10K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Michael Pearce
    • Writers
      • Joe Barton
      • Michael Pearce
    • Stars
      • Riz Ahmed
      • Octavia Spencer
      • Lucian-River Chauhan
    • 346User reviews
    • 94Critic reviews
    • 57Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 5 nominations

    Videos5

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:31
    Watch Official Trailer
    Watch the Trailer
    Trailer 2:25
    Watch Watch the Trailer
    Teaser Trailer
    Trailer 1:00
    Watch Teaser Trailer
    Encounter
    Trailer 2:31
    Watch Encounter
    Encounter
    Trailer 0:58
    Watch Encounter

    Photos8

    Aditya Geddada, Riz Ahmed, and Lucian-River Chauhan in Encounter (2021)
    Misha Collins and Janina Gavankar in Encounter (2021)
    Aditya Geddada, Riz Ahmed, and Lucian-River Chauhan in Encounter (2021)
    Riz Ahmed and Brennan Keel Cook in Encounter (2021)
    Brennan Keel Cook and Bill Dawes in Encounter (2021)
    Encounter (2021)
    Aditya Geddada, Riz Ahmed, and Lucian-River Chauhan in Encounter (2021)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Riz Ahmed
    Riz Ahmed
    • Malik Khan
    Octavia Spencer
    Octavia Spencer
    • Hattie Hayes
    Lucian-River Chauhan
    Lucian-River Chauhan
    • Jay Khan
    Aditya Geddada
    Aditya Geddada
    • Bobby Khan
    Rory Cochrane
    Rory Cochrane
    • Shepard West
    Shane McRae
    Shane McRae
    • Lance Dunn
    Janina Gavankar
    Janina Gavankar
    • Piya
    Misha Collins
    Misha Collins
    • Dylan
    Stefan Sims
    Stefan Sims
    • Ernie
    • (as Stefan S. Sims)
    Brennan Keel Cook
    Brennan Keel Cook
    • Dwight McKinley
    Bill Dawes
    Bill Dawes
    • Kurt McKinley
    Keith Szarabajka
    Keith Szarabajka
    • Grant
    Antonio Jaramillo
    Antonio Jaramillo
    • Raul
    Melissa Jo Bailey
    Melissa Jo Bailey
    • Cashier
    • (as Melissa Bailey)
    Joanna Strapp
    Joanna Strapp
    • Frenzied Woman
    Kennedy Chrisette
    Kennedy Chrisette
    • Zoe
    Robert Morgan
    Robert Morgan
    • Dexter
    Sherry McFarland
    Sherry McFarland
    • Middle-Aged Lady
    • Director
      • Michael Pearce
    • Writers
      • Joe Barton
      • Michael Pearce
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Riz Ahmed has actively throughout his career sought color-blind casting in his roles so one of the attractive features about this film for him is that the characters' ethnicity doesn't matter with regards to the story.
    • Goofs
      At approx 94 the minutes mark, during the car chase scene across the desert with Malik and Jay. Jay yanks the Emergency/Parking Brake lever between the front seats. Ram pickup trucks don't have an Emergency Brake lever.
    • Quotes

      State Trooper: What's going on here

      Malik Khan: A road trip with my boys. Little man needed to stop for a toilet break

      State Trooper: Didn't think to put your hazards on?

      Malik Khan: There was nobody on the road

      State Trooper: I was on the road

    • Connections
      Referenced in Amanda the Jedi Show: Faster than your First Time Reviews 2 - Best and Worst of TIFF 2021 (2021)
    • Soundtracks
      Waitin' Around to Die
      (c) 1983

      Written by Townes van Zandt

      Performed by Townes van Zandt

      Courtesy of Fat Possum Records

    User reviews346

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    A really good film that's not all that it seems.
    Riz Ahmed is one of those actors who rarely makes a bad movie . At the moment he is on a hot streak of really good films and Encounter is no different although I'd argue that Riz probably isn't the star of this film , it's the two actors who play his sons .

    The two lads play brothers who embark on a journey with their father, who is trying to protect them from an alien threat and at first it feels like a run of the mill alien/Sci Fi movie but you soon realise it's much , much , more than that.

    It's a film about desperation , survival and mental Heath but most of all it's a film about family .

    I love the interaction between the father and his sons . Forget what's going on around them , these boys desperately love their dad and visa versa and being a father of two boys myself , this resonated with me .

    A special mention has to go to Lucian-River Chauhan and Aditya Geddada. Both are fantastic. Lucian is brilliant and I predict big things for him and Aditya is so funny .

    Listen out for some unusual use of some Phil Collins music . A strange choice but it worked perfectly.

    Encounter is much better than I could have hoped for and might surprise quite a few people who are probably expecting a completely different type of film .
    helpful•58
    13
    • valleyjohn
    • Dec 17, 2021

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 10, 2021 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Invasion
    • Filming locations
      • Lone Pine, California, USA(early desert town street scenes)
    • Production companies
      • Amazon Studios
      • Automatik Entertainment
      • Big Indie Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 48 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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    Octavia Spencer and Riz Ahmed in Encounter (2021)
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