Reviewed by Carol Sullivan
Genre: Horror, Thriller, Sci-Fi
Rating: PG-13 for Violent and Disturbing Images, Some Terror, Thematic Elements and Brief Sexuality
Director: Olatunde Osunsanmi
Starring: Milla Jovovich, Elias Koteas, Will Patton
On DVD: March 16th, 2010
Studio: Universal Pictures
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Like many movie lovers, I had been patiently awaiting the arrival of The Fourth Kind on Blue-Ray DVD. Let me tell you, I'm glad I didn't watch it right before bed-time; I would have needed a night-light and my teddy bear! It has been ages since a movie scared me as bad as this one did and holy cow, I loved every minute of it.
Based on actual case studies, The Fourth Kind follows the therapy sessions of Dr. Abigail Tyler, a therapist in Nome, Alaska. For four decades, people have been vanishing from the area at an alarming rate. Despite thousands of visits from the FBI, no answers could ever be found.
But, when Dr. Tyler sees alarming similarities in her patients' symptoms and hallucinations, she decides to hypnotize one man to learn more about the root problem. What this man remembers during his hypnosis session is so disturbing and frightening to the man, that he goes home and kills his entire family and then himself.
The movie really picks up at this point as Dr. Tyler begins to connect-the-dots, as it were. As she learns more about her traumatized patients' memories, she begins to wonder if she could be witnessing the alien abduction phenomena. And if so, is she, too, a victim?
Now, folks, I had managed to avoid reading any reviews about this film because I wanted my experience with it to not be clouded. Good thing, too. The resulting roller-coaster ride of anxiety and terror I felt brings me goose-bumps, even 24 hours later. The mix of "real" footage and reenactments really drove the terrifying moments home for me.
Whether or not you believe in the alien abduction phenomena, The Fourth Kind is a chilling and thought-provoking piece of filmmaking. Director Olatunde Osunsanmi did a fabulous job of blending the old and the new; so much so, I felt as if I were experiencing these events right along with the victims.
Since watching it, I have learned some things about the film (and I won't give them away, folks) but my feelings about it are unchanged. All that matters is that I loved watching it and having the crap scared out of me. Isn't that the bottom line? How they did it matters not! The Fourth Kind is the slickest and scariest movie I have seen in a long time and I highly recommend it as a rental and/or purchase. Dim the lights for this one...
Overall Rating: 4 1/2
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 30 March 2010 07:55 )
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