Early on in Encounter, we see Malik take a flashlight and examine his boy’s eyes when he sneaks inside the house on a rescue mission. This is after he was given a heads up that his boys Jay and Bobby are in danger because his ex-wife and her husband have been infected by the invading alien race.
You can see the worm-like creatures in the retina of the human host (and creepy bugs, the microscopic ones, everywhere). It’s a disgusting sight. At least, that’s what the former decorated marine sees.
You see, he was out fighting monsters. He was in jail when he was away from his kids. He is out now, and Octavia Spencer plays his parole officer. Malik is suffering from a mental health emergency, most likely schizophrenia. The worms in the eyes, the stranger’s faces that turn into faceless aliens are all imagined.
Now, the reveal that all of this is in Malik”s head happens early. I had money on that the way Octavia Spencer’s Hati kept inviting herself on the chase with the FBI. The story would shift at the very end. How? That Hati would turn out to be an Alien, and Malik was right the entire time. Sadly, it was not to be. Her character represents empathy and caring for people society likes to lock away and toss away the key.
Malik finally realizes that his “head is messed up” and apologizes to his kids for what he has done to them. He tells them that his friend is at the cash register at the diner. The undercover agent will watch over them until their mother comes to get them. He kisses them goodbye, and as he is driving away, he sees his son Jay hiding in the back seat thirty minutes later. He says his dad needs his protection.
Unfortunately, the FBI and Hati catch up to him. They surround his truck. Malik has a gun in his hand, and his parole officer tries to talk him down. His son, though, is the one to talk some sense into him as his father hands over the gun to him in the front seat (not smart).
As Malik gets out, Jay runs out of the car, pointing the gun at the armed FBI. Of course, the immediate danger is they feel threatened by Jay with the armed pistol. Now it’s Malik’s job to protect his son finally. He slowly walks to Jay, lowers the weapon, and drops it.
Malik is now on his knees, holding his son tight, while the FBI helicopter shines a spotlight on them, and the army agents move in.
