Dark Encounter

For a film with a modest budget, it doesn't look it. The production value is excellent all around and nails the early 80's aesthetic without trying to be trendy. It has the look of Close Encounters but with more of a Fire In The Sky feel crossed with Shyamalan's Signs considering it's twisty and character driven plot that comes forth as the events move along. Highly recommend for fans of the films I mentioned above, or of The X-Files, though this film does bring something slightly new and different as a whole when it reaches its third act. Don't go in expecting a blockbuster, but an intimate, at times creepy, wholly entertaining film about a family and a dark encounter that almost tears them all apart. Worth your time in my books.

The ratings for Dark Encounter are a bit harsh in my opinion. This movie deserves a higher rating than it actually got. It was entertaining, maybe not with the outcome anybody had expected but is that a bad thing? When I watch a movie in the mystery genre I like to be surprised and that was totally the case with Dark Encounter. The sci-fi in the movie builds a tension, a slow paced suspense building, but suspense nonetheless. Just don't expect high budget CGI's because you'll be disappointed, just enjoy the story, the directing and the acting because those were all good. Good job from writer/director Carl Strathie. For the people that reviewed this with the lowest score possible I suggest you watch more movies so you could recognize the difference between a stinker (there are thousands of those) and a movie with a refreshing and entertaining story.

7/10 might not sound incredible but my expectations were very low. This film was much much more than I first thought it would be. Not your typical abduction tale. Very well made without feeling too obnoxious.

It's incredibly hard to imagine that four adults ... ... and a dog! ... four adults and a dog simply vanished in the course of an hour.

I saw "G-Loc" a while ago. And my first thought now was: "Why not try another SF?". Not only because it's one of my favorite genres. But because "G-Loc" was horrible and a disappointment in every way. And I wanted to forget this ordeal as soon as possible by watching an SF of better quality. And luckily "Dark Encounter" was of a completely different quality than the latter. Even though that wasn't really difficult to achieve. But in retrospect, I did wonder whether it was indeed an SF in the strict sense of the word.

The opening scene shows mother and father Anderson coming home from a night out after which they discover that their daughter Maisie has mysteriously disappeared. However, there's no trace or indication of a violent kidnapping. She simply vanished into thin air. In the next scene, we witness a family gathering. A family dinner where it's abundantly clear that the pain of losing their child is still there, resulting in snappy conversations in a tense atmosphere. Until suddenly strange light phenomena are seen by Ray (Mel Raido) and he and the other present men suggest investigating the seeings. When they arrive in the forest and witness more spheres flying around and one of them disappears without a trace, they realize there's more to it than some inexplicable weather phenomenon or local rascals playing with fireworks.

I have to admit that Carl Strathie knows how to mix different genres in an ingenious way. In general, you think that for the umpteenth time, alien green creatures are randomly abducting people to use them as guinea pigs for their experiments. Or maybe Martians who just dropped by to get acquainted. However, don't expect impressive images of colossal intergalactic spacecraft. It's limited to bright shining lights during a foggy night. Even though there are similarities with for example "Close Encounters of the Third Kind", you won't be awed by an immense spaceship with lighting like the dance floor in "Saturday Night Fever". Next, you get the feeling that you are watching a scary horror where household objects defy the laws of gravity and where lights start to flicker. And as a basis, you have a family drama about missing a loved one and the accompanying grieving process.

And if these aren't enough film genres, there's the very surprising denouement, after which the whole is suddenly approached from a completely different perspective. The sci-fi aspect fades into the background and a crime mystery demands attention. The denouement is overwhelming and most will react in a similar way as I did. "Ah, that's what's going on" as I thought at that moment. All I wondered is the origin of the entities that provide the clarification. Aliens? Or spiritual manifestations? Not that this matters. The end result is what counts. And thanks to this highly original twist, this film effortlessly rises above average.

"Dark Encounter" is a low-budget film with an original approach. Despite the fact they diligently borrowed from other well-known films, "Dark Encounter" pleasantly surprised me. And not just because of the originality of the story. But also because of the acting by the almost unknown cast (especially Laura Fraser). Plus the excellent soundtrack and sound effects. And the nostalgic feeling it gave me. It reminded me several times of similar films from the 80s. And the overall mood they managed to create. There's something else that surprised me after reading about it. It seems as if it all takes place in the U.S. during that period. And yet this movie was entirely filmed in the UK with English actors. Amazing. In short, this SF is highly recommended.

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While the movie starts off as would any other tale of abduction, with the same old tropes, the build up to what can only be described as a rollercoaster of emotions in the third act makes it all worthwhile. If you're reading this, give this movie a chance.