The Fourth Kind

Synopsis: Based on the true story of documented footage showing alien abduction in Nome, Alaska.

Release Date: November 6, 2009     MPAA Rating: PG-13

Genre(s): Horror, Mystery

Film Review

The only thing that makes this a film worth watching is the possibility that these true events are indeed real. The production value is only a step above a reenactment scene on a television show but the story is downright fascinating. Did aliens really visit people in the city of Nome? Did they make them do things that a normal person would never do under regular circumstances? Have people actually been kidnapped? The questions are endless and there is no answer for them. You must decide for yourself. With this the movie keeps your eyes glued to the screen searching for answers in the archived footage. Hoping something will reveal itself amongst the distorted pictures and voices of an unidentifiable being. All I know for sure after watching is that I am very happy I do not see owls at night, have mysterious marks on my skin, or live in Nome, Alaska.

The director made the decision to use both the actual footage and reenacted footage of the events throughout the movie. Instead of using them on their own, and cutting between, he has chosen a constant use of split screens to portray both at the same time. This is very confusing and feels like a cheap gimmick. There is no need to reenact a scene you have entirely on tape. Or have the actors say the same lines as their real counterparts at the same time, looped together awkwardly. It gives off an echo effect and half of what they say is lost on the viewer. The movie would have been better served as a full documentary with the real footage, or as an actual work of fiction based on true events. Or to make the decision and realization that a viewer is smart enough to know the difference between the two and can work with it, understanding that not everything was on tape and had to be recreated by actors. The mixing of the two at the same time may sound like a great technique but in all the scenes that it works well there are just as many where it purely distracts away from the story.

It is perfectly understandable if you expect to get really scared and freaked out during the film. Sorry to break it to you but its not exactly scary. It does build up an incredible amount of suspense in you, and you feel that knot in your stomach and the pressure on your chest for most of the film. This is not brought on by what you see but by what you hear during the accounts by people and footage. It is a very scary thing to imagine this happened to someone and that knowledge in the back of your head about how this is from real footage and real people adds a sense of anxiety. There are a couple scenes where you may jump a bit or get taken by surprise but they are actually very mild. Its all about how much you fear the unknown. If you really fear the unanswerable and unexplainable then you just might be freaked out and never want to look at a white owl again, watch home videos, or get hypnotized.

Cast and Crew

• Director(s): Olatunde Osunsanmi
• Producer(s): Olatunde OsunsanmiMilla Jovovich (Abbey)
• Screenwriter(s): 
• Story: 
• Cast:  Paul CovingtonLorenzo SenatoreCarlos Silva Da Silva
• Editor(s): Johnetta Boone
• Cinematographer: Atli OrvarssonPlowman Craven & Associates
• Production Designer(s):
• Costume Designer: 
• Casting Director(s): 
• Music Score: 
• Music Performed By: 
• Country Of Origin: USA