Reviewed by Geno McGahee
I remember when the trailer for this movie was released and it boasted that it was not only based on actual events, but that actual footage was used to help prove the story. I meant to catch it, but it was in and out of the theater so quickly, that I didn’t get a chance. They just recently released it on DVD and against my better judgment, I bought it for 20 bucks. It was one of those impulse buys.
Milla Jovovich plays the role of Abbey Tyler, a psychologist that is dealing with the loss of her husband. Her memories of the event of his tragic death are puzzling. Under hypnosis, she recalls a silver stabbing weapon digging into his chest, but she cannot see the man that’s doing it. The police remarkably closed the case, calling it a suicide.
Tyler returns to the scene of the crime and continues dealing with locals of Nome, Alaska, as her husband did before her. She brings in the patients, all claiming to see an owl peering in through the window and eventually making it into the house. I was very impressed with the over the top performances of the patients. This movie got a lot of bad press, claiming that some of the actors didn’t do the best job in the world or that it moved along too slowly. I disagree. I was very amused by the patients freaking out as they relive their trauma under hypnosis.
Tyler believes that whatever is tormenting her patients must have killed her husband. She confides in her friend and fellow psychologist, Abel (Elias Koteas). Koteas played “Casey Jones” in the TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES flicks…the guy is good, and he is outstanding in this role as well. Koteas and Jovovich play well off each other and create some very compelling stuff.
Another great character is Sheriff August (Will Patton). He is trying to figure out the strange activities in Nome…the numerous disappearances and unexplained deaths. When one of Tyler’s patients snaps and kills himself and his family after being hypnotized, August begins to focus on Tyler. Patton is a great actor. He was great in REMEMBER THE TITANS…and he stands out here as well. This movie is put together very well, from start to finish. They brought in great people and it keeps you interested. That’s much more than I can say for many horror movies nowadays.
It is believed by Tyler that she, her husband, and many others were victim of alien abduction. It hits home when Tyler’s daughter is abducted. One of the police officers even witness a huge craft fly over her house…neat stuff.
THE FOURTH KIND is a very good movie…as real as THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT, but the point isn’t for it to be real. It’s meant to be fun and to have the viewer go against their own skepticism and believe it’s real for the 98 minutes it runs. I really enjoyed this flick. I highly recommend it.
Scared Stiff Rating: 7.5/10. Aliens DO abduct people.
