The Fourth Kind
DVD | Blu-ray
Directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi
Starring Milla Jovovich, Will Patton, Elias Koteas
Universal Home Entertainment
Released date: March 16, 2010

The Fourth Kind is the latest in a long line of sci-fi/suspense thriller. Dr. Abigail Tyler (Milla Jovovich) uncovers a curious link between several of her patients while videotaping their therapy sessions. Not only do each of the patients have trouble sleeping at night but when they do fall asleep, they both dream of the same white owl that haunts their dreams. As Abigail digs deeper into these dreams, she discovers these dreams could be linked to an alien encounter of the fourth kind.

While The Fourth Kind is definitely a watchable film, there is something about it that prevents me from fully enjoying the picture. It is not the acting that throws me off. All the actors in the film do a pretty good job, especially Jovovich. She shows a lot of range as a doctor and mother, which surprised even this humble writer. I am use to seeing Jovovich fighting a monster or a zombie, so it was a nice change of pace to see her hold a child instead of a sword. It is also not the directing or writing that throws me for a loop. Writer and director Olatunde Osunsanmi writes an entertaining script with some nice scares and dramatic moments. The direction of the film is also fine.

The thing that bothers me the most about this film is its constant emphasis that this movie is based on a “true story.” Right before the movie begins, Milla Jovovich breaks out of character and talks directly to the viewer to let them know that the movie is based on a true story. Throughout the movie, “real” footage of the therapy sessions is played side by side with the film interpretation of the session. The movie even ends with information on what happened to the characters in the film after the events of the film. The problem with all this talk about this film being real? Well, the film is not really based on a true story.

Turns out the film is about as true as the Blair Witch Project. Now, I am fine with the film not being based on an actual event. A lot of movies in this genre always claim to be based on a true story. It is nothing new. My problem with this film is that it screams at the top of its lungs that it is real and based on a true story when in fact it is a bold face lie. This is what bothers me the most. The idea that the creators of this film and the actors can all join in together to create this elaborate lie without any regard for the viewers just doesn’t sit right with me. The film would have been fine without all of that, in my opinion.

The Fourth kind is a decent movie by all standards. The acting is good, the story is watchable, and the direction and special effects were pretty impressive. I only wish that the creators of the film would just have gone and done a movie instead of trying to create this elaborate hoax and trying to stuff it down the viewers’ throats.

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