Right, well given this 2018 sci-fi drama's low rating on IMDb, I must admit that I was somewhat hesitant about sitting down to watch it. Especially so since I am not a big sci-fi fan. But still, it was a movie that I hadn't already seen before, and I had the chance, so of course I gave it a chance.
I must say, first and foremost, that "Encounter", from writer and director Paul Salamoff wasn't exactly a super thrilling or exciting movie. The movie was actually unfathomably slow paced, to the point where it was starting to become a boring movie to sit through.
The storyline told in "Encounter" was straight forward, but it was just way too uneventful. It felt like I was sitting down at a prolonged dinner party with people I didn't really want to hang out with. And that made the movie feel particularly slow paced and long to sit through. I think that the storyline might have been way more interesting on paper, but it lost its appeal in the transition to the screen.
"Encounter" has a nice cast ensemble, but the actors and actresses were just restricted in giving stellar performances by a sluggish storyline and uneventful directing. It was actually supporting actor Tom Atkins whom brought me the most enjoyment of all the people on the cast list, given his performance and on-screen charisma.
Visually then "Encounter" was adequate. By that, I mean that the special effects - which were practical ones - were adequate and served their purpose well enough. These are not, however, spectacular effects that will blow you away in any way. The feel very much like something you'd see if the movie was made in the mid-1980s.
I was initially going to give the movie a three out of ten stars, but I liked the ending, and it lifted up the movie a bit, but still it wasn't enough to make the ordeal a properly entertaining movie. As such, my rating of Paul Salamoff's "Encounter" settles on a less than mediocre four out of ten stars.
