The Fourth Kind review

"The Fourth Kind" is probably the best made for Fox TV movie since the 90's. Oh wait they stopped making those didn't they. Well then I guess it'll have to settle for the best Sy-fy channel movie to date instead. And no that's not really that good of a thing. "The Fourth Kind" is a great example of having all the elements needed for a scary and interesting mystery thriller involving alien abduction, but doesn't use most of them the right way and some of them used too much. Also it's an example of marketing a film in the mystery genre and how people decide what to see based on knowing whats going to happen. This went up against Richard Kelly's "The Box", which hasn't faired well box office wise. Many say it's because the trailer seemed to point to one simple aspect, which is how these movies get promoted nowadays. It turns out people don't really want surprises in films anymore, just more or less whatever they expect and know going into it. "The Fourth Kind" marketed is a great example of showing it's best and only tricks before the show so that people don't have to be worried about wondering what might happen next. What terrible thing that would be.

Like "Paranormal Activity", the film shows 'real' footage and claim the movie is based on true events (it's not by the way). So it's inter cut throughout with pieces of the 'real' footage and scenes from the reenactment which stars Milla Jovovich as the lead Dr. Abigal Tyler. This is her first non-gun toting flick after a long string of them... most were quite sucky, but she's fun to watch so she often gets a pass. Jovovich isn't really a bad actress either (see "Dummy" for proof) and here she almost is able to pull off the character, but some of the emoting doesn't feel quite right. The same can be said with the person playing the real Abigal Tyler (which according to the films credits IS Abigal Tyler). Her frail size and pale skin tone makes her quite believable as do many of the stock footage scenes. However at times her slow speech and uneven emotions get old and a bit boring and so does the movie.

The real problem is that it's made with a lot of style that it destroys most possibilities of it being scary and just feels like a really rushed episode of "24" with aliens. They place in interesting clues and notions that would include extraterrestrial abductions and things of that nature early on for the build up, but mess it all up by getting the wrong vibe and atmosphere and in a movie like this those things are absolutely critical. I cite "The Mothman Prophecies". I still like it despite it's flaws and slow points, but that's because it has a build, makes small connections that lead to bigger ones and it's tone is always foreboding. There's not one scene of bizarre actions or stories being told in that film that doesn't have a moodiness to it. All this said "The Fourth Kind" has two great scenes. And I mean great as in they would've been perfection had they not used them on the trailer.

Both scenes of bliss are of the 'real' footage and involve the channeling of an entity from within the human body. The sad part is that both scenes are displayed on the trailer and had I not expected it I imagine that those scenes would've been really jaw dropping. The blurred image is great, but what is being said is much better and creepier. In fact you say that within "The Fourth Kind" is a better movie trying to break free that adds up and feels complete and scary. One that picks one of the two types of film that it is to go with instead of sitting on the fence. I'm not saying it's as bad as something like "White Noise" (which suffered several of the same problems and more), but it's a sure fire disappointment to people who like UFO or abduction stories (like myself).

Finally I just have to stress that this could've been something. It's a picture chalked full of potential scares, mystery and intrigue that wastes 90% of it on extended shots of peoples reactions to something that's maybe, but usually isn't impressive. I think writer-director Olataunde Osunsanmi (who also stars in the film as himself in interviews with Dr. Tyler) may have the right idea story wise (I stress the word may), but definitely does not have the right idea directorial wise. Next time someone attempts to make a movie on this particular subject they show very much look into what makes these stories and mysteries interesting and frightening before letting cameras roll.

"The Fourth Kind" ** out of ****