The "Elevated" disconnect
When you see a 30-point gap between critics and audiences, you’re usually looking at a movie that favors atmosphere over actual storytelling. Critics often give a pass to indie films that look expensive or try something "important" with genre, like using aliens as a metaphor for a family’s trauma. But for the rest of us sitting on the couch on a Tuesday night, a 2.7 on Letterboxd is a massive warning sign. It means the movie is likely spinning its wheels for 90 minutes only to land on an ending that feels more like a shrug than a revelation.
A heavy lift for a "free" movie
There is a reason Dark Encounter is currently floating around every free-with-ads service from Tubi to Pluto TV. It’s essentially digital wallpaper. It has the aesthetic of a high-end thriller—the 1982 period cars, the misty woods, the glowing lights—but it lacks the narrative engine to keep you from checking your phone.
The subject matter is also a specific kind of grim. This isn’t a fun "aliens in the backyard" romp. It’s a movie about a family holding a memorial for a missing eight-year-old. That is a heavy emotional baseline. When you layer sci-fi weirdness on top of child abduction, you need a very steady hand to make it work. Based on that 5.3 IMDb score, the execution just isn't there. The result is a film that feels too depressing to be an escape and too clunky to be a serious drama.
Better ways to scratch the itch
If you or your teen are into the "something's wrong in the woods" vibe, there are much better ways to spend two hours. If they want the 80s nostalgia and the mystery, they’ve likely already seen the big streaming hits. If they want something that actually rewards their attention, look for movies that don't just use a missing child as a plot device to get to the special effects.
- If you want a masterclass in low-budget, high-tension sci-fi: The Vast of Night is the gold standard for this specific "strange things on the radio" subgenre.
- If you want the "family dealing with the supernatural" angle: Signs is still the most effective version of this story, even decades later.
- If you just want to see weird lights in the sky: Stick to the classics or even a well-made documentary.
Ultimately, Dark Encounter is a movie that tries to be profound but ends up being merely confusing. It’s the kind of film that leaves you searching "ending explained" on Google because the script couldn't be bothered to make the stakes clear. Save yourself the frustration and keep scrolling.
