Dark Encounter File

Fans of Arrival or Close Encounters who enjoy character-driven drama.

: Director Carl Strathie is noted for a "minimalist approach" that relies on suspense and lighting—reminiscent of Close Encounters of the Third Kind —rather than high-budget CGI.

: Laura Fraser is consistently praised for her "soulful" and "emotional" performance as Olivia, a mother grieving her missing daughter. Dark Encounter

: The dark, heavy subject matter revealed at the end (involving a "pedophile" and a "sex pest") left some audience members feeling the film was overly "pretentious" or that the twist was "unearned". Viewer Perspectives

“This is a gut punch of a story that deals in subject matter both tragic, disturbing and is tough to watch, but the execution and artistic forces are remarkable.” Podcasting Them Softly · 5 years ago Fans of Arrival or Close Encounters who enjoy

: Most reviewers agree that the film’s narrative takes a massive turn in the final act, moving from sci-fi wonder to a "gut punch" crime mystery. Critical Drawbacks

: Though the cast is British, the film is set in 1980s Pennsylvania. Some critics found the American accents distracting and the script's dialogue "stilted" or "clichéd". : The dark, heavy subject matter revealed at

: Some viewers found the film to be a frustrating "slow burn" , with repetitive scenes that could have been condensed into a short film.