I don't necessarily know if this movie should be dragged as much as it is, because it's not trash. The premise is kinda campy once you realize that it's not actually real and it is somewhat problematic to piggyback on the real-life tragedies of a small town in Alaska. However, taking the movie for what it is, it's not terrible. It's not great, but it's not terrible. It's enough to make you feel weird about owls though.
421 Reviews
I don't care if it is fake, it's still entertainment
moviemanMA29 November 2009
Warning: Spoilers
A few weeks ago I went to see an independent horror film that was honestly one of the scariest viewing experiences I have ever been apart of. That film is the monster hit Paranormal Activity. Now we have yet another unique viewing experience, this one is The Fourth Kind.
I have never been a huge believer about visitors from other worlds, UFOs, and conspiracy theories, but I must say that if there was ever a film that made me question if only for a second that their might be life out there somewhere, it would be this movie. It starts off with actress Mila Jovovich introducing herself and giving a preface to the film. She says that the film is based entirely on first person encounters and is backed up with evidence both in audio, visual, and in testimonial form.
We are then introduced to Dr. Tyler, the woman who Jovovich is portraying. She is being interviewed by the director Olatunde Osunsanmi. This interview is broken up and played at different points of the film. The look on Dr. Tyler's face alone gives you the impression that the story we are going to be told has obviously wreaked havoc on her life.
We begin after the death of her husband whose mysterious death has yet to be fully resolved. She is working on a sleep study in the town of Nome, Alaska where some of the residents have been telling her about a certain disturbances in the night. One in particular involving an owl outside their windows.
Without ruining too much of the plot and some of the "good" parts, I was pretty impressed with this film. I liked how much emphasis they put on the evidence. Osunsanmi obviously wants there to be no doubt that this movie is perceived not just as a movie but as a document. It's hard to believe that this is based on actual events seeing that some of the "archival evidence" is so startling and shocking. We have all seen videos and pictures of UFOs but these videos and audio clips are by far the most unsettling.
How could this story with all of it's evidence go unnoticed? Wouldn't it have helped Dr. Tyler's case? This so called evidence is so powerful and so unsettling, were it real I would be led to believe a lot of people around the world would reconsider that existence of intelligent life on other worlds.
I've read plenty of reviews calling this film a fraud, a let down, and a disappointment. I on the other hand thought that this was unique, compelling, and disturbing. It's not the scariest movie ever made, but there are certain images that will stay with you for a while. I have given up caring about whether or not this is a real case or if it is partially or entirely fabricated. It's fun, scary, and different. In the end it's a movie, a movie is supposed to entertain and make you think.
I have never been a huge believer about visitors from other worlds, UFOs, and conspiracy theories, but I must say that if there was ever a film that made me question if only for a second that their might be life out there somewhere, it would be this movie. It starts off with actress Mila Jovovich introducing herself and giving a preface to the film. She says that the film is based entirely on first person encounters and is backed up with evidence both in audio, visual, and in testimonial form.
We are then introduced to Dr. Tyler, the woman who Jovovich is portraying. She is being interviewed by the director Olatunde Osunsanmi. This interview is broken up and played at different points of the film. The look on Dr. Tyler's face alone gives you the impression that the story we are going to be told has obviously wreaked havoc on her life.
We begin after the death of her husband whose mysterious death has yet to be fully resolved. She is working on a sleep study in the town of Nome, Alaska where some of the residents have been telling her about a certain disturbances in the night. One in particular involving an owl outside their windows.
Without ruining too much of the plot and some of the "good" parts, I was pretty impressed with this film. I liked how much emphasis they put on the evidence. Osunsanmi obviously wants there to be no doubt that this movie is perceived not just as a movie but as a document. It's hard to believe that this is based on actual events seeing that some of the "archival evidence" is so startling and shocking. We have all seen videos and pictures of UFOs but these videos and audio clips are by far the most unsettling.
How could this story with all of it's evidence go unnoticed? Wouldn't it have helped Dr. Tyler's case? This so called evidence is so powerful and so unsettling, were it real I would be led to believe a lot of people around the world would reconsider that existence of intelligent life on other worlds.
I've read plenty of reviews calling this film a fraud, a let down, and a disappointment. I on the other hand thought that this was unique, compelling, and disturbing. It's not the scariest movie ever made, but there are certain images that will stay with you for a while. I have given up caring about whether or not this is a real case or if it is partially or entirely fabricated. It's fun, scary, and different. In the end it's a movie, a movie is supposed to entertain and make you think.
If you're already on this page before seeing the movie, it's too late.
sgtiger23 October 2009
I just saw a screening of this movie last night. I didn't know a thing about it when I sat down. By the end of the movie I was sitting in my seat and staring at the screen with hollow eyes.
I looked at my girlfriend and our faces said: "No way... but... no, couldn't be... good god!"
The use of real vs. recreated footage gets you. The sounds in the real footage and recordings will REALLY get you.
Do yourself a favor and don't research the film before you go in. This is a movie that needs to be taken in with a blank and open mind to be appreciated.
I looked at my girlfriend and our faces said: "No way... but... no, couldn't be... good god!"
The use of real vs. recreated footage gets you. The sounds in the real footage and recordings will REALLY get you.
Do yourself a favor and don't research the film before you go in. This is a movie that needs to be taken in with a blank and open mind to be appreciated.
Don't hate on this movie...
tpaladino4 March 2010
Warning: Spoilers
I really delayed seeing this movie because of all the crappy reviews I read on here and in other places. How it was all a hoax and that the filmmakers must think we're idiots and it ruined the whole premise and blah blah blah.
But I just watched it and I honestly can't understand what they're all so pissy about.
Yeah, the 'real' footage is fake, and the viral campaign to make 'Abigail Tyler' internet-real failed. It really, really doesn't matter though. This movie fully accomplished its goal of being super creepy and very unique and entertaining. If the critics would get off their high horse for a minute and actually watch the film then maybe they'd appreciate what they're seeing just a little bit more.
The interweaving of the 'real' footage with the 'movie' footage was a fantastically creative way to drive home the emotional edge that the filmmakers were going for, and it worked superbly. And fake or not, the story is realistic enough to be at least somewhere within the bounds of plausibility for our imagination to make us cringe just a little bit more than we usually do with sci-fi/horror films about zombies or other things that are clearly impossible.
Its obviously not the greatest movie ever made, and Mila Jovovitch isn't the greatest actress ever, but she played her part well, as did everyone else.
Overall this film is very much worth watching, despite what the critics have said. Very entertaining and will definitely leave you thinking about it for a while afterward. Fake or not, what more can you ask for?
But I just watched it and I honestly can't understand what they're all so pissy about.
Yeah, the 'real' footage is fake, and the viral campaign to make 'Abigail Tyler' internet-real failed. It really, really doesn't matter though. This movie fully accomplished its goal of being super creepy and very unique and entertaining. If the critics would get off their high horse for a minute and actually watch the film then maybe they'd appreciate what they're seeing just a little bit more.
The interweaving of the 'real' footage with the 'movie' footage was a fantastically creative way to drive home the emotional edge that the filmmakers were going for, and it worked superbly. And fake or not, the story is realistic enough to be at least somewhere within the bounds of plausibility for our imagination to make us cringe just a little bit more than we usually do with sci-fi/horror films about zombies or other things that are clearly impossible.
Its obviously not the greatest movie ever made, and Mila Jovovitch isn't the greatest actress ever, but she played her part well, as did everyone else.
Overall this film is very much worth watching, despite what the critics have said. Very entertaining and will definitely leave you thinking about it for a while afterward. Fake or not, what more can you ask for?
So.. I'm from Nome
jakekyle0125 March 2011
Warning: Spoilers
*May, may not, contain spoilers* Hi. So I'm from Nome.
I, and most people I know from here, have avoided this movie like the plague just because of how inherently retarded this piece of BS was going to be.
So, to clear things up, since I've seen lots of discussion about how the movie, even if a hoax, leaves things "unexplained" concerning disappearances, here you go..
Nome has a high rate of alcohol and substance abuse (less than .75 square miles, with 7+ bars and 5+ liquor stores). During the winter (when most of these "disappearances" occur) snowmobiling is a main form of transportation for many in town. Nome is also a "village hub" for many surrounding communities (which have a population of 100 or less, generally).
What happens often is people like to go out, get drunk, hop on their snowmachine (snowmobile to those in the lower 48), and will wreck or break down somewhere out on the tundra, miles from town, in dangerous weather. Naturally, these people perish, and it may take days before someone sends out S&R (Search and Rescue), unless they've filed something with the State Troopers giving them their travel plans, and when they plan to return (in which case S&R is sent out when they haven't arrived).
They also go "disappearing" when they travel across Norton Sound (part of the Bering Sea) pack ice, to fast travel to the other side of the peninsula. In break up conditions (when the ice is moving out, and there is "rotten ice"), they sometimes break through the ice, into the Bering Sea, and again.. they are gone.
Nome (not just Nome, but the Bering Sea coast in general) has a high rate of suicide, which also explains some disappearances. Nome used to have a jetti for boats to pass through, and distraught people would jump into it. Its almost impossible to get out of, even if you're a strong swimmer. That is the reason it was graveled in/over between 2004-2006.
There is no amount of UFO BS anywhere in Nome, among any citizens (you may find quite a few Big Brother government conspiracy theorists though).
Trivial topics of note - Nome does not have trees (except for 60 miles inland, along Council Road); there is no owl population to speak of (except again, many miles outside of town, along Council Road or Teller Road); we have a police department and State Troopers Post, not sheriffs or deputies; probably 1 in 30 houses in Nome would be as "nice" as those portrayed in the movie.
Etc.
This is a major irritation. And the movie was not even good (as has been said, poor dialogue/acting, misinformation, distracting camera/special effects work).
Want an idea of what Nome is actually like? See www.nomenugget.net Thank you.
I, and most people I know from here, have avoided this movie like the plague just because of how inherently retarded this piece of BS was going to be.
So, to clear things up, since I've seen lots of discussion about how the movie, even if a hoax, leaves things "unexplained" concerning disappearances, here you go..
Nome has a high rate of alcohol and substance abuse (less than .75 square miles, with 7+ bars and 5+ liquor stores). During the winter (when most of these "disappearances" occur) snowmobiling is a main form of transportation for many in town. Nome is also a "village hub" for many surrounding communities (which have a population of 100 or less, generally).
What happens often is people like to go out, get drunk, hop on their snowmachine (snowmobile to those in the lower 48), and will wreck or break down somewhere out on the tundra, miles from town, in dangerous weather. Naturally, these people perish, and it may take days before someone sends out S&R (Search and Rescue), unless they've filed something with the State Troopers giving them their travel plans, and when they plan to return (in which case S&R is sent out when they haven't arrived).
They also go "disappearing" when they travel across Norton Sound (part of the Bering Sea) pack ice, to fast travel to the other side of the peninsula. In break up conditions (when the ice is moving out, and there is "rotten ice"), they sometimes break through the ice, into the Bering Sea, and again.. they are gone.
Nome (not just Nome, but the Bering Sea coast in general) has a high rate of suicide, which also explains some disappearances. Nome used to have a jetti for boats to pass through, and distraught people would jump into it. Its almost impossible to get out of, even if you're a strong swimmer. That is the reason it was graveled in/over between 2004-2006.
There is no amount of UFO BS anywhere in Nome, among any citizens (you may find quite a few Big Brother government conspiracy theorists though).
Trivial topics of note - Nome does not have trees (except for 60 miles inland, along Council Road); there is no owl population to speak of (except again, many miles outside of town, along Council Road or Teller Road); we have a police department and State Troopers Post, not sheriffs or deputies; probably 1 in 30 houses in Nome would be as "nice" as those portrayed in the movie.
Etc.
This is a major irritation. And the movie was not even good (as has been said, poor dialogue/acting, misinformation, distracting camera/special effects work).
Want an idea of what Nome is actually like? See www.nomenugget.net Thank you.
A different kind
saad_sarwar16 July 2013
The genre of this movie attracted me first but the poor IMDb rating ruined my interest to see it. I heard somewhere that it's kinda horror but a different type. After watching this, I can also tell that it's really a different one. The movie based on the story of alien encounters where a psychologist discovered some disturbing evidence of alien abduction ever documented. Once you start seeing this movie, the story will keep your attention throughout the end. But at the end, it's depend on the viewer whether believing the story as true or fake, but this movie can make someone confused over the true existence of the story in practical life. Not bad as the rating shows so.
What a huge disappointment
Westcoastal4 February 2010
Warning: Spoilers
This movie was outright terrible. I am amazed at some of the comments and reviews. It's hard to imagine what people see in this piece of garbage. The writing was bad, most of the acting was bad, the story was bad. The choices they made in presenting the material were also unbelievably bad. Showing two actors portraying the same scenes for much of the film was just... I can't even find the words to describe how misguided that was.
The thing is, I was totally willing to suspend disbelief and watch this with an open mind, as I knew in advance it was about alien abductions and therefore would likely have some major silliness in it. But they didn't throw me a single bone in terms of something - anything to cling onto to keep the story believable and engrossing. By halfway through the movie, it was clear that "scary" or "thrilling" was completely out of the question, but I would have settled for "halfway compelling" or at the very least "entertaining". Sadly that wasn't in the cards.
There was only one thing in the entire film that I liked, and that I found creepy. The so-called abductees kept saying they saw an owl outside their window (and it was really creepy when they'd get this look of horror on their face and say, "That's not an owl!!"). The use of the owl as similar in appearance to the typical alien face was, in my opinion, a brilliant move - and it really was creepy. Too bad it was wasted on an otherwise offensively bad film.
The thing is, I was totally willing to suspend disbelief and watch this with an open mind, as I knew in advance it was about alien abductions and therefore would likely have some major silliness in it. But they didn't throw me a single bone in terms of something - anything to cling onto to keep the story believable and engrossing. By halfway through the movie, it was clear that "scary" or "thrilling" was completely out of the question, but I would have settled for "halfway compelling" or at the very least "entertaining". Sadly that wasn't in the cards.
There was only one thing in the entire film that I liked, and that I found creepy. The so-called abductees kept saying they saw an owl outside their window (and it was really creepy when they'd get this look of horror on their face and say, "That's not an owl!!"). The use of the owl as similar in appearance to the typical alien face was, in my opinion, a brilliant move - and it really was creepy. Too bad it was wasted on an otherwise offensively bad film.
Great popcorn flick
brittlinder1713 November 2009
Why do so many people feel like a movie has to be a life changing event? This movie is a great way to spend 1 1/2 hours. The acting is very good. The "real" vs acting element is well done. Milla does a wonderful job drawing in the audience. The story is fun & the concept is entertaining.
Some movies are done just to provide entertainment. Nothing more, nothing less. This is one of those films.
Go with a good attitude and enjoy. There are no life lessons to learn. There is no great revelation. Just go for fun.
Enjoy!
Some movies are done just to provide entertainment. Nothing more, nothing less. This is one of those films.
Go with a good attitude and enjoy. There are no life lessons to learn. There is no great revelation. Just go for fun.
Enjoy!
Heard any good Sumerian lately?
sebpopcorn15 November 2009
Warning: Spoilers
At the start of the film you are told this is all true, though clearly it isn't. I don't really understand the point of that. It's fair enough to imply it's real but to outright lie about it, that's just a bit desperate.
I quite enjoyed the movie to start with but it falls apart towards the end. The thing is nobody knows what Sumerian sounds like, it's not like you can look at the alphabet and say "that letter looks like an oooh sound" as the writers seem to think. It's a shame that the lazy hacks that put this one together couldn't be bothered to fix this huge and easily remedied plot hole by using Egyptian which would have worked just as well. It didn't spoil the movie for me, but it did serve as a good example of how badly conceived the whole thing was. No wonder they had to go for a stunt to sell it to the audience.
Likewise the twist doesn't work either. It's a shame because I thought this would be quite a good film but yet again I expected too much.
I quite enjoyed the movie to start with but it falls apart towards the end. The thing is nobody knows what Sumerian sounds like, it's not like you can look at the alphabet and say "that letter looks like an oooh sound" as the writers seem to think. It's a shame that the lazy hacks that put this one together couldn't be bothered to fix this huge and easily remedied plot hole by using Egyptian which would have worked just as well. It didn't spoil the movie for me, but it did serve as a good example of how badly conceived the whole thing was. No wonder they had to go for a stunt to sell it to the audience.
Likewise the twist doesn't work either. It's a shame because I thought this would be quite a good film but yet again I expected too much.
Poor
winstonsmith_8412 September 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Alright. First of all, there is no point debating whether the film is a hoax or not. Firstly, the people in the supposedly "real" footage are actors... who have been in films. You can find it out on IMDb. The "real" Charlotte Milchard is an actress from the UK:
Plus, the people in Nome Alaska were angry that the film attributed the missing persons (who probably died from the rugged, harsh, cold terrain if anything) to UFOs and aliens. And the Alaska Press club successfully hired an attorney to make Universal pay a settlement of $20,000 for the fake news stories. Simply go to Google to confirm this.
If this story were real, it wouldn't have been released in a film, it would have been all over the news and possibly be a bigger story than Roswell... or even 9/11. It would be all over the place. But I hadn't heard a thing about it, other than an interview on Coast to Coast AM where a UFO investigator was shooting down the film for claiming it was "real" and making the actual people in UFOlogy look bad, and giving lesser credibility to real, actual stories. Shame on the producers of this movie.
As for the footage you think you saw, you probably mistook it for something else. Go get the DVD and watch the "original" scenes. Apparently, you can hear someone yell "action" in the supposedly real footage just before the man shoots his entire family.
Personally, I think the movie was a bit of a failure, unless the person viewing it actually believe it to be real. It felt a little bit like they had no budget, so they only had enough money to hire a couple of good actors, throw them into a poorly scripted movie (with an unconvincing actor as the police detective...) Some overhead shots of a city in Alaska, and wham, you have a film...
The only positive thing I can say about this film is one major highlight: indie film-making getting big... the film-makers got away with making some good cash with little budget, interesting but poorly executed marketing plan, they could afford decent actors (like Milla Jovovich and the guy who played the male psychiatrist)... I did like how you never get to see the aliens. But what's up with the scene aboard the alien spacecraft with the drills about to drill into Milla if they're not gonna show anything? Scriptwise, story-wise, it was unoriginal and uninteresting. The main problem was the slow pace of the film, lack of anything interesting that I haven't seen before in an X-files episode... And why do the aliens use Sumerian? Can't they take English lessons if they're smart enough to fly across the universe? And the biggest flaw of all? The poorly executed "realism" of the film which I could instantly tell was not "real"... all the scenes purportedly shot in 2000 had fake digital interference which can easily be done in computer video-editing programs like Vegas.
Overall, not impressed. 3/10.
Plus, the people in Nome Alaska were angry that the film attributed the missing persons (who probably died from the rugged, harsh, cold terrain if anything) to UFOs and aliens. And the Alaska Press club successfully hired an attorney to make Universal pay a settlement of $20,000 for the fake news stories. Simply go to Google to confirm this.
If this story were real, it wouldn't have been released in a film, it would have been all over the news and possibly be a bigger story than Roswell... or even 9/11. It would be all over the place. But I hadn't heard a thing about it, other than an interview on Coast to Coast AM where a UFO investigator was shooting down the film for claiming it was "real" and making the actual people in UFOlogy look bad, and giving lesser credibility to real, actual stories. Shame on the producers of this movie.
As for the footage you think you saw, you probably mistook it for something else. Go get the DVD and watch the "original" scenes. Apparently, you can hear someone yell "action" in the supposedly real footage just before the man shoots his entire family.
Personally, I think the movie was a bit of a failure, unless the person viewing it actually believe it to be real. It felt a little bit like they had no budget, so they only had enough money to hire a couple of good actors, throw them into a poorly scripted movie (with an unconvincing actor as the police detective...) Some overhead shots of a city in Alaska, and wham, you have a film...
The only positive thing I can say about this film is one major highlight: indie film-making getting big... the film-makers got away with making some good cash with little budget, interesting but poorly executed marketing plan, they could afford decent actors (like Milla Jovovich and the guy who played the male psychiatrist)... I did like how you never get to see the aliens. But what's up with the scene aboard the alien spacecraft with the drills about to drill into Milla if they're not gonna show anything? Scriptwise, story-wise, it was unoriginal and uninteresting. The main problem was the slow pace of the film, lack of anything interesting that I haven't seen before in an X-files episode... And why do the aliens use Sumerian? Can't they take English lessons if they're smart enough to fly across the universe? And the biggest flaw of all? The poorly executed "realism" of the film which I could instantly tell was not "real"... all the scenes purportedly shot in 2000 had fake digital interference which can easily be done in computer video-editing programs like Vegas.
Overall, not impressed. 3/10.
Terrifying
lindsayleaf11 November 2009
Warning: Spoilers
I had read the reviews prior to seeing this movie and nothing prepared me for what i saw. It started out slow but built up quick and i was hooked. There is one point in the movie that I almost had to walk out of the theatre it was so disturbing, i'm glad i stayed though...i think! this is the first movie in a long time that kept me up at night not wanting to fall asleep...and I am 25 years old! This movies has a documentary sort of feel to it which makes it all the more horrifying because it feels so real...it is so real.. i don't know! i firmly believe in UFO's but my boyfriend is a HUGE skeptic, after watching this movie he is now a believer as well...or at least more of a believer. It is an extremely convincing and terrifying movie.
Different point of view, but still just average.
Endless_0124 April 2020
The UFO genre is one of my favorite genres to kill time when I'm watching a horror movie, The 4th Kind was a pretty hype movie the time it came out, at least in my city, I remember there was a lot of emotion about the trailer and the cover it presented, and how it was part of the sacred genre ''based on real events''. Oddly enough, I didn't see it on opening day, so I can say that by today's standards, it's a great meeh.
It's a combination of fake-documentary with dramatic film scenes; a somewhat interesting mix that manages to build a good narrative (although if you read the story behind the film you're disappointed.) But after that, the film is somewhat boring. It's slow/fast moving, you know? It feels like they're spitting things out but the movie itself doesn't advance, and the climax ends up being mediocre at best. The script is bland, and they always put in the typical UFO movie clichés, so that lost a lot of interest.
The movie is decent, not terrible, but not excellent either, it can entertain a little, and the first minutes of the movie are a bit disturbing, but after that, it loses its seriousness and also its total entertainment.
It's a combination of fake-documentary with dramatic film scenes; a somewhat interesting mix that manages to build a good narrative (although if you read the story behind the film you're disappointed.) But after that, the film is somewhat boring. It's slow/fast moving, you know? It feels like they're spitting things out but the movie itself doesn't advance, and the climax ends up being mediocre at best. The script is bland, and they always put in the typical UFO movie clichés, so that lost a lot of interest.
The movie is decent, not terrible, but not excellent either, it can entertain a little, and the first minutes of the movie are a bit disturbing, but after that, it loses its seriousness and also its total entertainment.
Blair Witch Fake - Dishonest to the point of Criminality
feastorafamine29 January 2010
Warning: Spoilers
The reason for the abysmal review is the fact that the film is sold as being "reality" based. When i say reality based i mean based on actual events, even events that could be construed as debatable. This is simply not the case here. This is an entirely fictional film for which Universal pictures has paid a settlement for having placed fake news stories in order to sell this film. This is a new low in film marketing. I know the excuse will be that films are in and of themselves a suspension of belief but do we need to be lied to now in order to achieve this? I submit NO! If i were to simply review this film knowing in advance that it was pure fiction i would have watched an entirely different film. A film that was slow to develop and only contained a few moments of actual horror. There were a few fearful moments, a feat easily achieved, but largely this was due to the illusion of reality perpetrated by the introduction of the film by Mila (Lead Female role) as being based on actual events. Sadly this seems to be a trend in the horror genre that i fear may continue simply because of the gap between when the general public can unearth the truth about such films and the money generated in the meantime. Suffice to say anyone reading this review before having seen this film will undoubtedly have a quite different reaction to those yet unaware of the films true fictional nature. I might also add that i am a fan of this genre. I enjoyed the movie Communion with Chris Walken purely for the subject matter despite its flaws as a film. Perhaps those who see this film knowing in advance that it is a marketing ploy will find greater enjoyment. I myself was not amused with the deception. Don't take me for a fool, i don't take at face value and abduction story as pure truth but some basis in reality might have been more acceptable to pure lies. There are of course countless encounters of the fourth kind retold by real people to be debated and discussed. The only thing i feel like discussing about this film is how many people will see it before they know the ridiculous deception perpetrated by Universal pictures.
Prepare to be lied to by a terrible film.
jemdev13379 November 2009
Warning: Spoilers
The Fourth Kind goes to great lengths to convince you that everything in the film has actually happened. The commercials for the film claim it to be a true story, and the movie opens with Milla Jovovich vouching for the truth of the story. No "based on a true story". Milla Jovovich suddenly appears at the beginning of the story amid a spinning camera to inform you, in an all too familiar PSA style, that "Hi, I'm Milla Jovovich, I'm an actor portraying a psychologist". Long story short, her and the director inform you that what you are about to watch is "real" and "serious".
Then the movie plays, and you get shots of the Milla playing her character sharing split screen with the "real" archive footage. The archive footage works for a while, until the story decides to kick in and the footage gets more bizarre. In a method used more conservatively by shows like The X-Files, and films like paranormal activity, the camera cuts out during any action and you get "VHS blur" that obscures the entire screen. The entire screen is obscured for upwards of 30 seconds at a time, and it becomes obvious that they are abusing this effect to avoid using actual special effects.
Actual on-screen special effects are poorly done. They are obviously computer edited, and what's worse is that they consist of effects easily available in consumer level products like Adobe After-effects and Sony Vegas.
The sheriff who works against Milla throughout the film is a terrible actor. Enough said. Milla herself looks more like an owl than the owl aliens her clients report seeing. The film also adds lots of nonsensical morals and metaphors that are completely pointless. I won't spoil anything, but the aliens at one point say "I am... I am ______", blank being the most obvious thing they could say. Of course, this metaphorical plot line is dropped instantly, just to make sure this film has no depth.
And then after several scenes of what is supposed to be Milla Jovovich's character in real life (who looks more like a crack addict than an abductee) the film abruptly ends. We get another PSA scene where Milla Jovovich gives you facts about FBI visits to the town from the film completely taken out of context, (She implies the visits related to abduction, when in fact they related to drinking and exposure to elements related incidents) and then proceeds to inform you that made-up missing little girl was never found.
What would truly be an emotional ending is, however, in no way emotional the second you learn that the film and all the characters were completely fabricated. There is no evidence that any of the characters exist. No one in Nome remembers any of these events. Nome's sheriff which the film informs you couldn't be reached for comment, was in fact reached for comment, in which he reinforced that the movie was nonsense and truly a stain on the town that would hurt tourism.
In the end, it's a truly week film that's only shining grace is that it is a true story.
The only problem being that it isn't.
The worst part of the entire film however, is when the credits roll and the film offers no disclaimer to inform you that it was fictional. The film effectively lies to you. The end.
Then the movie plays, and you get shots of the Milla playing her character sharing split screen with the "real" archive footage. The archive footage works for a while, until the story decides to kick in and the footage gets more bizarre. In a method used more conservatively by shows like The X-Files, and films like paranormal activity, the camera cuts out during any action and you get "VHS blur" that obscures the entire screen. The entire screen is obscured for upwards of 30 seconds at a time, and it becomes obvious that they are abusing this effect to avoid using actual special effects.
Actual on-screen special effects are poorly done. They are obviously computer edited, and what's worse is that they consist of effects easily available in consumer level products like Adobe After-effects and Sony Vegas.
The sheriff who works against Milla throughout the film is a terrible actor. Enough said. Milla herself looks more like an owl than the owl aliens her clients report seeing. The film also adds lots of nonsensical morals and metaphors that are completely pointless. I won't spoil anything, but the aliens at one point say "I am... I am ______", blank being the most obvious thing they could say. Of course, this metaphorical plot line is dropped instantly, just to make sure this film has no depth.
And then after several scenes of what is supposed to be Milla Jovovich's character in real life (who looks more like a crack addict than an abductee) the film abruptly ends. We get another PSA scene where Milla Jovovich gives you facts about FBI visits to the town from the film completely taken out of context, (She implies the visits related to abduction, when in fact they related to drinking and exposure to elements related incidents) and then proceeds to inform you that made-up missing little girl was never found.
What would truly be an emotional ending is, however, in no way emotional the second you learn that the film and all the characters were completely fabricated. There is no evidence that any of the characters exist. No one in Nome remembers any of these events. Nome's sheriff which the film informs you couldn't be reached for comment, was in fact reached for comment, in which he reinforced that the movie was nonsense and truly a stain on the town that would hurt tourism.
In the end, it's a truly week film that's only shining grace is that it is a true story.
The only problem being that it isn't.
The worst part of the entire film however, is when the credits roll and the film offers no disclaimer to inform you that it was fictional. The film effectively lies to you. The end.
Interesting and thrilling
paul_haakonsen27 February 2010
This is a rather interesting movie, and it deals with a phenomena that we all are more or less familiar with - alien abductions. Now whether or not you believe in this is entirely up to you, but give this movie a chance, if nothing else then for its entertainment value.
"The Fouth Kind" is a unique mix of documentary and ordinary movie, and it worked out well, though sometimes it was a bit too much with the actual footage, it was disruptive in some odd way.
The story is quite interesting and compelling, and it grabs a hold of you and keeps you nailed down till the very end of the movie. The characters were believable and well portrayed.
There were some pretty nice effects in the movie as well.
Now, the thing about the movie is whether this is real or just a hoax. And even if it just is a hoax, the movie leaves you with unanswered questions and a sense of brooding mysticism.
I found the movie to be thoroughly entertainment and good for some discussion afterwards. So despite of your approach whether aliens and alien abductions are real or not, sit down and watch this movie. It is good.
"The Fouth Kind" is a unique mix of documentary and ordinary movie, and it worked out well, though sometimes it was a bit too much with the actual footage, it was disruptive in some odd way.
The story is quite interesting and compelling, and it grabs a hold of you and keeps you nailed down till the very end of the movie. The characters were believable and well portrayed.
There were some pretty nice effects in the movie as well.
Now, the thing about the movie is whether this is real or just a hoax. And even if it just is a hoax, the movie leaves you with unanswered questions and a sense of brooding mysticism.
I found the movie to be thoroughly entertainment and good for some discussion afterwards. So despite of your approach whether aliens and alien abductions are real or not, sit down and watch this movie. It is good.
Huge Disappointment...
catsklgd17 November 2009
Warning: Spoilers
I had tremendously high hopes for this movie, especially based upon the trailers and viewer reviews. However, the use of gimmicky "true video footage," along with what were represented as "actual audio recordings" gave it the feel of a "Blair Witch Project" on studio steroids. The use of cheap, theatrical scare tactics, including sudden movements and loud noises, diminished rather than enhanced what little tension the film managed to achieve. But, the worse transgression was the use of an actress (I know I've seen her before, but I can't recall her name) to portray the "real" Abbey Tyler in what were supposed to be actual video recordings. So, what you end up with is an actress (Milla Jojovic) acting as the real Abbey Tyler who is then played by another actress. Sorry, but it just doesn't work. Sadly, there are wasted in this production some excellent acting performances by the aforementioned Miss Jojovic, Will Patton (always excellent),and Elias Koteas (Law & Order). I am a sucker for this type of film, but in this case I feel more like I was duped.
If you are a believer, this will entertain you
GirishGowda23 April 2010
Warning: Spoilers
"Alien encounters are of four kinds. First kind is Sighting. Second kind is Evidence. Third kind is Contact. Fourth kind is Abduction."
When the film opened to Milla Jovovich introducing herself and telling us that this is a true story and she is playing a character Abbey Tyler, I thought, oh great! another dumb movie, but I was so wrong. She says 'this is based on real events and documentary footage', but since I already knew it was completely false, my review isn't based on whether it was true or not. This was made as a movie and it should be viewed as such and you should not dwell too much thinking that the filmmakers cheated you by saying it was true. It is entertainment you are looking for in a movie, not a life-changing experience.
The film opens by Olatunde Osunsanmi interviewing the 'real' Dr. Abbey Tyler. She is a ghost of a woman with a look that says she hasn't got anything to live for and is struggling to barely get by day to day activities. So, we know where the film is moving towards, now the question is whether the director takes us there catching our attention. While Milla Jovovich is very beautiful, the 'real' version Abbey is not so good-looking, the Hollywood factor is in play here. The story is set in Nome, Alaska, where there are plenty of disappearances and missing people are on the rise since the 1960's or something. FBI has apparently visited this remote town more times than any other city or town.
Coming to the story, Abbey Tyler's husband is killed in front of her by someone, when they are sleeping, but she can't remember the face of the killer and the police insist that he committed suicide and she must have been hallucinating to block the painful memories. She is a psychologist, so she tries to bring some normalcy to her life by continuing on after her husband dies. Her daughter Ashley has lost her sight since the day of the death and nobody knows why she can't see. Also, her son Ronnie is not such a mama's boy and I thought he was kind of a jerk (even though young) in the final act when the police take him away from her. She sees a lot of patients who wake up in the middle of the night without any apparent reason and remember an owl looking at them. She deduces that there may be some higher powers at work here and so induces one of them into a deep sleep where she hypnotizes a patient. He doesn't remember an owl, but he sees something that is not a human and freaks out. He goes home and kills his family. The Sheriff isn't too happy about her experimentation with the patients and warns her to stay put. But, she has to know the truth. She becomes acquainted with Awolowa Odusami, a scholar who has studied the Sumarian language (which no one has spoken in over 4000 years) his whole life. He is confused when he hears the Sumerian language spoken in perfect sentences in one of Abbey's videos and they think they may be aliens. Abbey's father is staying with her to support her in these difficult times. Her daughter is also abducted by the aliens. Will she get her child back, who is her husband's killer and was she too abducted by them?
The performances by the actors are very good, the documentary actors are also excellent. The 'real' Abbey Tyler doesn't overplay or underplay her character and I was very much moved by her character. Some tears escaped my eyes during the final scenes when she remembers her daughter. The addition of documentary footage to the real movie was awesome, I absolutely loved it. Lots of IMDb users are complaining that the aliens are never shown and they lost interest. For me, that was the best part, just showing that static video made the whole experience so much more thrilling. It was like watching a Hitchcock movie (though far lesser in effect, it was good). In a video, the alien says ' I am ..... GOD'. Frankly, that was disturbing as it could very well be the creatures that we pray as God. The rockets and spacesuits do exist in the old carvings. If you don't believe in aliens, then think about the pyramids which were built thousands of years ago with absolute precision in a time when there were no modern tools and theorems to help them out. I think the aliens helped us build the pyramids for their own reasons in a precise geographical manner so that it was kind of a map to get to their own planet if they were ever lost (I'm a huge believer of supernatural stuff since I was a kid).
But I digress. Moving on, this is a very scary movie if you go into it with an open mind, believing everything they say and do on screen is real. I have seen Paranormal Activity and I wasn't as scared as I expected, but this is a thousand times better than that movie. I actually was scared as the premise is very believable and I have always believed that aliens and ghosts do exist. But this was way better than PA. This will leave you wondering if the things you did last night were real or was it all an illusion? "In the end, what you believe is yours to decide."
8/10 - Girish, 20
When the film opened to Milla Jovovich introducing herself and telling us that this is a true story and she is playing a character Abbey Tyler, I thought, oh great! another dumb movie, but I was so wrong. She says 'this is based on real events and documentary footage', but since I already knew it was completely false, my review isn't based on whether it was true or not. This was made as a movie and it should be viewed as such and you should not dwell too much thinking that the filmmakers cheated you by saying it was true. It is entertainment you are looking for in a movie, not a life-changing experience.
The film opens by Olatunde Osunsanmi interviewing the 'real' Dr. Abbey Tyler. She is a ghost of a woman with a look that says she hasn't got anything to live for and is struggling to barely get by day to day activities. So, we know where the film is moving towards, now the question is whether the director takes us there catching our attention. While Milla Jovovich is very beautiful, the 'real' version Abbey is not so good-looking, the Hollywood factor is in play here. The story is set in Nome, Alaska, where there are plenty of disappearances and missing people are on the rise since the 1960's or something. FBI has apparently visited this remote town more times than any other city or town.
Coming to the story, Abbey Tyler's husband is killed in front of her by someone, when they are sleeping, but she can't remember the face of the killer and the police insist that he committed suicide and she must have been hallucinating to block the painful memories. She is a psychologist, so she tries to bring some normalcy to her life by continuing on after her husband dies. Her daughter Ashley has lost her sight since the day of the death and nobody knows why she can't see. Also, her son Ronnie is not such a mama's boy and I thought he was kind of a jerk (even though young) in the final act when the police take him away from her. She sees a lot of patients who wake up in the middle of the night without any apparent reason and remember an owl looking at them. She deduces that there may be some higher powers at work here and so induces one of them into a deep sleep where she hypnotizes a patient. He doesn't remember an owl, but he sees something that is not a human and freaks out. He goes home and kills his family. The Sheriff isn't too happy about her experimentation with the patients and warns her to stay put. But, she has to know the truth. She becomes acquainted with Awolowa Odusami, a scholar who has studied the Sumarian language (which no one has spoken in over 4000 years) his whole life. He is confused when he hears the Sumerian language spoken in perfect sentences in one of Abbey's videos and they think they may be aliens. Abbey's father is staying with her to support her in these difficult times. Her daughter is also abducted by the aliens. Will she get her child back, who is her husband's killer and was she too abducted by them?
The performances by the actors are very good, the documentary actors are also excellent. The 'real' Abbey Tyler doesn't overplay or underplay her character and I was very much moved by her character. Some tears escaped my eyes during the final scenes when she remembers her daughter. The addition of documentary footage to the real movie was awesome, I absolutely loved it. Lots of IMDb users are complaining that the aliens are never shown and they lost interest. For me, that was the best part, just showing that static video made the whole experience so much more thrilling. It was like watching a Hitchcock movie (though far lesser in effect, it was good). In a video, the alien says ' I am ..... GOD'. Frankly, that was disturbing as it could very well be the creatures that we pray as God. The rockets and spacesuits do exist in the old carvings. If you don't believe in aliens, then think about the pyramids which were built thousands of years ago with absolute precision in a time when there were no modern tools and theorems to help them out. I think the aliens helped us build the pyramids for their own reasons in a precise geographical manner so that it was kind of a map to get to their own planet if they were ever lost (I'm a huge believer of supernatural stuff since I was a kid).
But I digress. Moving on, this is a very scary movie if you go into it with an open mind, believing everything they say and do on screen is real. I have seen Paranormal Activity and I wasn't as scared as I expected, but this is a thousand times better than that movie. I actually was scared as the premise is very believable and I have always believed that aliens and ghosts do exist. But this was way better than PA. This will leave you wondering if the things you did last night were real or was it all an illusion? "In the end, what you believe is yours to decide."
8/10 - Girish, 20
Like it or not, it's one hell of a movie.
king_ghidora9 January 2010
Warning: Spoilers
"The Fourth Kind" has crappy acting, and it is not a good attempt at a mockumentary. The movie's ULTRA-disturbing footage will give you shivers either way. Supposedly it is all "real", but not enough proof is given. Special-effects are not overdone, but they are only used to an extent needed to scare and shock the audience. People being lifted up into the air by a mysterious evil force while having a super-seizure? Now THAT is scary. The scene with the supposed "u.f.o." apparently "abducting" the little girl seems like bologna, but something is just so tense and disturbing about it. The scene in "The Fourth Kind" that really makes you lose your marbles is the video tape of the insane man that shoots his family and himself. The gore is blur-censored so the movie can stay with a PG-13 rating, but still, that one scene is psychotically insane enough to give you nightmares. It may not hit you at first, but "The Fourth Kind" is somewhat a modernized exploitation film. The acting may be bad, you gotta love Milla Jovovitch. The character that she portrays definitely contributes to the effect that this movie may have on you. For thrills, I definitely recommend "The Fourth Kind".
Shame on the Filmmakers/Actors/Distributors/Marketing Executives
nuvuefilms200413 November 2009
Warning: Spoilers
How dare they insult the audience with this bundle of phony crap? I guess when you can't make a movie, this is what you do. The only horrifying thing about this film is the moral compass of every above-the-line member. I will never see a movie again by any actor in this "thing" the least I can do is boycott the work of people who slap the audience in the face... worst piece of trash released this year. An insulting gimmick that gives Hollywood a bad name. Universal having to pay 20K for forging articles is so unfair They should have to give a percentage of the film to Alaska. The horrifying aspects of the film are, in no particular order: the the joke of a plot, the amateur post production, the silly score, the wooden dialog, the lackluster performances, the telegraphed special effects, the supposed true footage of a person that does not exist, the silly seizures of supposed true people, the unrealistic archival footage.
Intense and Scary
correoesti19 March 2010
I watched this movie with some friends and we started commenting some of the first scenes until the shock came and made us shut up.
Trying to remember good scary Sci Fi UFO movies I can't find too much, maybe because its a difficult matter to build as a movie, a lot of attempts ended with cheesy non-credible movies but this isn't the case.
The movie has a lot of good tense moments with good acting but kind of start to fail with some ideas in the middle of the story, there are some flaws that make it less credible but still scary.
There are some details like the photography and direction that are great and paired with the cast and good story makes the film an enjoyable scary ride.
Trying to remember good scary Sci Fi UFO movies I can't find too much, maybe because its a difficult matter to build as a movie, a lot of attempts ended with cheesy non-credible movies but this isn't the case.
The movie has a lot of good tense moments with good acting but kind of start to fail with some ideas in the middle of the story, there are some flaws that make it less credible but still scary.
There are some details like the photography and direction that are great and paired with the cast and good story makes the film an enjoyable scary ride.
Even for a believer, with a pinch of salt
mel_vishal10 December 2011
I am believer of extra terrestrials but even I had to believe in this movie with a pinch of salt. There are parts in this movie which would make you jump out of your seat and the rest of the time, you are glued on to the screen. What do I say about Milla Jonovich? She has absolutely NAILED the performance. One might say she is equally good in this movie as she was in 'Faces In The Crowd'. Getting back to the movie, it makes you wonder, makes you wanna believe and makes them debunkers wanna laugh at it. With me, it made me wanna look stuff up online. I wish I could say what but that might qualify my review as a spoiler. Regardless of whether this movie was based on true events or not, its an absolute thriller and definitely qualifies as a 'must watch', especially for those who like Thriller and Sci-Fi genres of movies. I would have given this movie a 10 but the reason I didn't is something you would understand when you see it.
Terrible Movie -- Spoiler Alert Here
bob-17288 November 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Despite a excellent cast, this is a dreadful film. It can't decide if it's a documentary, a docudrama or a fictional tale. This identity crisis infuses every scene with an uneven, unfocused quality.
It makes constant reference to Nome, but the setting is not at all like Nome; the people would not be inhabitants of Nome, and their reactions might be very different. Many may think this isn't germane to the film, but in fact the surroundings and the life style of the people represent an entirely different world. Why not say it happened in Ketchikan, Fairbanks, British Columbia? Or film it in some cold tundra like, well, Nome, or northern Finland? A film purporting to be documentary in any way should at least start out offering something resembling the real people and places.
The cast is talented and tries to deliver a fine performance, but they are blocked at every turn by the film's lack of identity and the poor editing and production values. The constant inter-cutting of 'archival footage' is distracting and comical.
Did this really happen? I went with an open mind, and was so thoroughly put off by the utter poor quality that I don't care anymore.
Save you money. There are other (good) films to watch.
It makes constant reference to Nome, but the setting is not at all like Nome; the people would not be inhabitants of Nome, and their reactions might be very different. Many may think this isn't germane to the film, but in fact the surroundings and the life style of the people represent an entirely different world. Why not say it happened in Ketchikan, Fairbanks, British Columbia? Or film it in some cold tundra like, well, Nome, or northern Finland? A film purporting to be documentary in any way should at least start out offering something resembling the real people and places.
The cast is talented and tries to deliver a fine performance, but they are blocked at every turn by the film's lack of identity and the poor editing and production values. The constant inter-cutting of 'archival footage' is distracting and comical.
Did this really happen? I went with an open mind, and was so thoroughly put off by the utter poor quality that I don't care anymore.
Save you money. There are other (good) films to watch.
X-Files meets Blair Witch
kingderella30 September 2011
'The Fourth Kind' is basically 'X-Files' crossed with 'The Blair Witch Project'. An alien abduction mockumentary, following a psychologist who's using hypnotherapy to find out just what is going on in her home town, where people keep disappearing under mysterious circumstances.
I've read more than a couple of reviews that complained how the 'based on a real story'-shtick wasn't believable. Well, it's not, but I think those people are missing the point. "The Fourth Kind" is clearly pure fiction, and not meant to be taken as anything else. The mockumentary trappings are just meant to add some style to the story, and they succeed in that.
Now, the mockumentary angle is overly familiar, as is the story, which unfolds exactly as you would expect. If you're looking for originality and surprises, skip this one. But as a meat-and-potatoes horror movie, it's perfectly solid. There are some good scares, and some haunting moments. If a horror movie about alien abductions sounds like something that would entertain you, 'The fourth Kind' is likely to do the trick.
I've read more than a couple of reviews that complained how the 'based on a real story'-shtick wasn't believable. Well, it's not, but I think those people are missing the point. "The Fourth Kind" is clearly pure fiction, and not meant to be taken as anything else. The mockumentary trappings are just meant to add some style to the story, and they succeed in that.
Now, the mockumentary angle is overly familiar, as is the story, which unfolds exactly as you would expect. If you're looking for originality and surprises, skip this one. But as a meat-and-potatoes horror movie, it's perfectly solid. There are some good scares, and some haunting moments. If a horror movie about alien abductions sounds like something that would entertain you, 'The fourth Kind' is likely to do the trick.
a disappointing movie - wasted potential and shoddy film-making
Quinoa198429 October 2009
Warning: Spoilers
I didn't believe for a moment that the "actual footage" in The Fourth Kind was actually actual footage. Surely one would have heard of stories of a relatively unknown filmmaker Olatunde Osunsanmi crafting a docu-drama out of footage from actual alien abductee interviews from some years ago. It should be no surprise that it is just a gimmick to make the story of UFO abduction more credible, which is all well and good. Indeed this wasn't even really the problem in and of itself I had with the movie. It was just that, well, it wasn't a good movie. This may sound like one of the weakest ways to complain about something like a film that took a lot of preparation and acting heft (or not or too much as case turns out), but it is the case here. It's a premise and technique that starts promising, and then without knowing exactly when it just crumbles in self-importance.
It's from the start given the weight of "THIS IS FACT! sort of" as Milla Jovovich comes to tell the audience that she will be playing the part of Dr. Abigail Tyler, and that footage will be shown in the film that is from real-life footage of the real Dr. Tyler from videotaped interviews she had with abducted under hypnosis, and herself interviewed by the director of the film. This is an awful lot of information to give at the front, and it's a sign of things to come: a film that decides it take its subject matter SERIOUSLY as factual, albeit with dramatization, so much so that we see this 'real' actress telling us this.
It's about Tyler, who one night found her husband murdered in her bedroom with a knife through his chest. How did this happen? Did she see or 'feel' someone else in the room? Hypnosis shows this as a vague, terrifying possibility, and she follows up on cases in the small Alaskan town of Nome to interview others who have had nearly identical experiences. Every night a snow owl is outside the window, and somehow 'comes in' to the bedroom, and then... well, no one can seem to remember, or really that there is nothing to remember due to their intended to be forgetful from the "fourth kind" experience. Dr. Tyler can't come to any other conclusion than it, despite protest from her fellow psychologist (Koetas), and soon digs up some research on Sumerian language and that the horrific dialog heard on an audio tape recording shows dialog from Sumeria. Freaky.
The approach, at first, seems that it is original and with some daring. The idea is to combine scenes ala Woodstock- split-screens as a scene is happening simultaneously- and create a perspective of reality filtering into the fictional representation. It's interesting, for the first twenty minutes. But unfortunately this method doesn't hold up. The director means for the audience to take alien abduction seriously, and it's not something he really needs to go to too far lengths to do, though he clutters his serious approach with self-seriousness and a hyper-style that calls attention to itself in some practically laughable ways (at least that was the reaction of the audience I was with, I was more dumbfounded and shell-shocked after a while).
There are examples littered throughout the film. One is the approach to the owls. Why do owls appear? What's the connection? This ambiguity isn't so bad, but the way Osunsanmi approaches it with his camera is precious, with lighting that is of that blue-crap tint and with some spliced-in footage of owls every so often just to give an unnecessary jolt. One other is a small scene where we're shown some artifacts from Sumerian culture. At first this just looks like one of those scenes from a hacky science-fiction TV show on alien abduction or something, and then Osunsanmi just goes all nutty with how he shoots it, with strobe lights going all over the place and creating a whiplash feel that is just wrong for this portion of the film.
And lastly it's the whole approach to Dr. Tyler as a character that bothers one. Jovovich does what she can as an actress, and to her credit she has some affecting scenes here as a mother of two who is trying to hold on to her principles as a doctor, hard evidence but lacking in just the kind of case that needs it to dissuade a dissatisfied sheriff (Will Patton), and ultimately her character becomes one note: INTENSE FEAR! She fares better than the 'other' woman who if you believe the story and the footage (aka hoax) is really Dr. Tyler, interviewed by the director on her experience, who is slabbed with bad make-up and mugs her way through an at-best hysterical turn. Towards the end, just as it's supposed to be most stirring, it gets cringe-worthy, especially as the filmmaker/Jovovich tells us (not asks us) outright: decide for yourself based on this. Yeah, it's just a movie, thanks, no matter what we really think of aliens.
This split in the two/one character(s), of a dramatic and harrowing dramatization of a story, and of interviews with this woman and her as-happened clips with distorted video and audio punctuating the abduction bits, don't mesh together well enough to justify the movie on the whole. It might have made a fascinating short film, but even at 93 minutes it over-stays its welcome and doesn't blow one away with surprises (indeed a scene late in the film showing a 'recreation' of a drill-probe had me and a friend chuckling at exactly the wrong moment). The director could have decided, either to make a solid *drama* that might appear to be based on a real case (i.e. Fargo) but isn't, or make a documentary ala the recent Paranormal Activity or to an extent District 9. As it stands, if you saw the (somewhat misleading) trailer, you saw it all.
It's from the start given the weight of "THIS IS FACT! sort of" as Milla Jovovich comes to tell the audience that she will be playing the part of Dr. Abigail Tyler, and that footage will be shown in the film that is from real-life footage of the real Dr. Tyler from videotaped interviews she had with abducted under hypnosis, and herself interviewed by the director of the film. This is an awful lot of information to give at the front, and it's a sign of things to come: a film that decides it take its subject matter SERIOUSLY as factual, albeit with dramatization, so much so that we see this 'real' actress telling us this.
It's about Tyler, who one night found her husband murdered in her bedroom with a knife through his chest. How did this happen? Did she see or 'feel' someone else in the room? Hypnosis shows this as a vague, terrifying possibility, and she follows up on cases in the small Alaskan town of Nome to interview others who have had nearly identical experiences. Every night a snow owl is outside the window, and somehow 'comes in' to the bedroom, and then... well, no one can seem to remember, or really that there is nothing to remember due to their intended to be forgetful from the "fourth kind" experience. Dr. Tyler can't come to any other conclusion than it, despite protest from her fellow psychologist (Koetas), and soon digs up some research on Sumerian language and that the horrific dialog heard on an audio tape recording shows dialog from Sumeria. Freaky.
The approach, at first, seems that it is original and with some daring. The idea is to combine scenes ala Woodstock- split-screens as a scene is happening simultaneously- and create a perspective of reality filtering into the fictional representation. It's interesting, for the first twenty minutes. But unfortunately this method doesn't hold up. The director means for the audience to take alien abduction seriously, and it's not something he really needs to go to too far lengths to do, though he clutters his serious approach with self-seriousness and a hyper-style that calls attention to itself in some practically laughable ways (at least that was the reaction of the audience I was with, I was more dumbfounded and shell-shocked after a while).
There are examples littered throughout the film. One is the approach to the owls. Why do owls appear? What's the connection? This ambiguity isn't so bad, but the way Osunsanmi approaches it with his camera is precious, with lighting that is of that blue-crap tint and with some spliced-in footage of owls every so often just to give an unnecessary jolt. One other is a small scene where we're shown some artifacts from Sumerian culture. At first this just looks like one of those scenes from a hacky science-fiction TV show on alien abduction or something, and then Osunsanmi just goes all nutty with how he shoots it, with strobe lights going all over the place and creating a whiplash feel that is just wrong for this portion of the film.
And lastly it's the whole approach to Dr. Tyler as a character that bothers one. Jovovich does what she can as an actress, and to her credit she has some affecting scenes here as a mother of two who is trying to hold on to her principles as a doctor, hard evidence but lacking in just the kind of case that needs it to dissuade a dissatisfied sheriff (Will Patton), and ultimately her character becomes one note: INTENSE FEAR! She fares better than the 'other' woman who if you believe the story and the footage (aka hoax) is really Dr. Tyler, interviewed by the director on her experience, who is slabbed with bad make-up and mugs her way through an at-best hysterical turn. Towards the end, just as it's supposed to be most stirring, it gets cringe-worthy, especially as the filmmaker/Jovovich tells us (not asks us) outright: decide for yourself based on this. Yeah, it's just a movie, thanks, no matter what we really think of aliens.
This split in the two/one character(s), of a dramatic and harrowing dramatization of a story, and of interviews with this woman and her as-happened clips with distorted video and audio punctuating the abduction bits, don't mesh together well enough to justify the movie on the whole. It might have made a fascinating short film, but even at 93 minutes it over-stays its welcome and doesn't blow one away with surprises (indeed a scene late in the film showing a 'recreation' of a drill-probe had me and a friend chuckling at exactly the wrong moment). The director could have decided, either to make a solid *drama* that might appear to be based on a real case (i.e. Fargo) but isn't, or make a documentary ala the recent Paranormal Activity or to an extent District 9. As it stands, if you saw the (somewhat misleading) trailer, you saw it all.
pleasantly surprised
ffinch247-14 March 2010
Warning: Spoilers
##POSSIBLE SPOILERS##
Unlike most of reviewers on here, I hadn't seen many reviews on The Fourth Kind before seeing it. I don't usually go for the "based on true stories" films because they usually disappoint. I thought the use of real footage was well done and creative. Most of the truly affective moments in film are actually the real footage, the way that the film makers match the surroundings of the real interviews and the re-created interviews is very well done and very convincing. Overall I think its a good film and worth watching. The acting is good from all the actors including the young kids. Sometimes younger actors aren't as believable but in this film they really support the rest of the cast, and play a major role. The Fourth Kind is a good film with truly disturbing moments and a tense atmosphere for the majority of the film. In two words, worth watching.
Unlike most of reviewers on here, I hadn't seen many reviews on The Fourth Kind before seeing it. I don't usually go for the "based on true stories" films because they usually disappoint. I thought the use of real footage was well done and creative. Most of the truly affective moments in film are actually the real footage, the way that the film makers match the surroundings of the real interviews and the re-created interviews is very well done and very convincing. Overall I think its a good film and worth watching. The acting is good from all the actors including the young kids. Sometimes younger actors aren't as believable but in this film they really support the rest of the cast, and play a major role. The Fourth Kind is a good film with truly disturbing moments and a tense atmosphere for the majority of the film. In two words, worth watching.
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