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The Fourth Kind (2009)

Time Out rating

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14 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

'Do you honestly believe,' symapthetic psychoanalyst Dr Campos (Elias Koteas) asks his widowed friend and colleague Dr Abbey Tyler (Milla Jovovich), 'that your daughter was taken by members of an alien race?' Yes, it's alien abuction time again, with some ancient Sumerian mumbo-jumbo and Erik von Daniken-style 'God was an astronaut' tosh thrown in for bad measure. This time, however, the verifiable 'truth' of the events depicted is reinforced through the use of actual video and audio footage of hypnotised patients, plus interviews with the real shrink. As is traditional with tales of alien abduction – see also 'Communion' and 'Fire in the Sky' - these patients live in the middle of nowhere, in this case the tiny Alaskan town of Nome.

Despite the threat to her family and her sanity, the angry scepticism of the local sheriff (Will Patton) and the professional concerns of her fellow shrink (Koteas), Dr Tyler (Jovovich) is determined to continue her murdered husband's research. This study involves a group of disturbed patients who, under hypnosis, are struggling to recall something traumatic that happened to them in the early hours of the morning, following nightly visitations by a spooky owl. Are these strikingly similar stories and expriences evidence of alien visitation, or just the ravings of the psychologically disturbed?

Leaving aside the improbability of everything that happens, and the fact that the archive recordings are obviously faked, the decision by writer-director Olatunde Osunsanmi to inter-cut the scratchy 'found' material with the dramatised scenes is self-defeating. If the entire film had been staged as a spoof documentary, the grainy video and distorted audio might have retained some power. But by mixing the 'found' footage' with the re-enacted scenes - sometimes by splitting the screen into two or four sections - Osunsanmi's tricksy formal device simply reinforces our disbelief and invites ridicule.

Author: Nigel Floyd 2009-11-06 15:55:11

Time Out London Issue 2046: 5-11 November, 2009

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User reviews of this film

Salvo said...

Posted on Nov 20 2009 11:24 No comment!

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john said...

Posted on Nov 19 2009 14:21 just saw this film on holiday in usa with my wife & 13 yr old grandson , we nearly jumped out of our seats several times , really enjoyed the film & the video footage blended well with the movie , recommend u watch this film !

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Tiff said...

Posted on Nov 18 2009 20:41 This film Totally freaked me out! I was going to see 'UP', however ended up seing this film. I thought it was going to be stupid and was really not looking forwards to seing it but i was really really freaked out! AND i saw it late at night! NOT a good idea! I would really recommend this film as it was a lot more frightening than expected from the trailer. Me and my friends almost left !

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Kiarian said...

Posted on Nov 16 2009 19:15 Top film. Engaging, scary and well made. Ignore Time Out's review. They don't have a clue.

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Stacey said...

Posted on Nov 16 2009 13:17 I think your personal belief in Aliens and the supernatural makes a big difference to what you think of the film. I really enjoyed it and it really freaked me out with the real video footage, but I think if you are not open minded you will just see it all as fake. All the "professional" reviews on the websites I have looked at are slating this film and saying they laughed out loud during the hypnosis scenes, but I found these quite terrifying and nobody at the cinema I was at laughed!!!I think its definitely worth a watch if you really believe in this kind of thing and ignore the critics.

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Gary Goold said...

Posted on Nov 14 2009 09:42 How could you give this film a 1 Star, even if you don't believe the events its still doesn't warrant this low rating, only a really naff film with no story line would apply this rating. A great film which is highly viewable. I suggest as a critic you should re-watch with fresh eyes. Everyone else on here has given it high ratings, its funny that you haven't!!!

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mel said...

Posted on Nov 11 2009 19:29 This film is very clever because there has been case studies very similar in the past so you either believe it or you don't. I do believe we arnt the only planet with life and Im pretty sure we have been visited maybe asleep or day to day, who knows its wot you believe that films this film so chilling

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joanna(; said...

Posted on Nov 11 2009 19:01 This movie really made me jump.... haha but then again i am a big scaredy cat(: NEways well this movie really had some good points about like how do we know wats really going on in the world or in our bed rooms after we shut our eyes.... but then again like they say in the movie in the end... its ur choice!!! :)

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usman khawaja said...

Posted on Nov 11 2009 00:17 repetitive stress syndrome -
The movie is a bizarre shizoid experience which makes no sense with a double parallel narrative ,where a documentary is re-enacted twice as drama ,as if the audience are morons who do not comprehend simple english .
The Sumeirian angle and the so-called explanation of the illogical phenomena is totally devoid of any logic and poor Milla Jovovich is wasted to the hilt .
It is a total disgrace to distort both history and reality to make an insipid drab movie which has no drama ,horror or thrills and worst is a total nightmare in style .
It is like drowning in an ocean of ennui with a hysterical woman for company -totally miserable

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MissDomi said...

Posted on Nov 09 2009 20:33 This movie really really makes u think. It has some terryifing moments and therefore i STRONGLY recommend watching it at least 7 hours before u go to sleep.. i watched in the afternoon and when i went to bed i still had this movie on my mind and was really glad i dont sleep alone.... however , i give it 4 stars because if it was not based on real cases studies this movie would be rather considered as average or even weak, secondly i think the potential of the story was not 100% developed and plus the real Dr. Tyler looks like a proper psycho so for me it kinda affected the credibility, although as she said'' the videos dont lie''.
I general, the movie is really worth to watch ,just make sure you dont go on your own. Pity ,there is no one brave enough to continue the research of dr. Tyler....
and i just wonder how many ppl will go to this town now...

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kaaaart said...

Posted on Nov 08 2009 13:20 brilliant in terms of being thrill, whether its a true story or not it is really scary!

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Daniel said...

Posted on Nov 08 2009 00:09 The Fourth Kind is a lot better than what this critic rated it to be. It is a truly chilling, creepy and thought-provoking film that will send chills down your spine. I cringed in most of the scenes since they were downright terrifying. All in all, I highly recommend this movie... it's really worth seeing for yourself. Perhaps, it'll make a believer out of you...

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Salvatore said...

Posted on Nov 07 2009 23:59 I just watch this movie but i don't know what to believe! It makes me think and discuss a lot but I google it and looks like is not based on a true story or events as they (in various occasion) state!

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james said...

Posted on Nov 07 2009 12:16 makes you think, absolutely brilliant!

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