Who — or what — is the cause of the many disappearances in Nome, Alaska? In his new film, “The Fourth Kind,” rookie writer-director Olatunde Osunsanmi points the finger at aliens. Although the film shows alleged archival footage re-enacted by actress Milla Jovovich (“Resident Evil”) and others, the facts still remain unclear.
Initially, this film seems like a groundbreaking expos? of a government cover-up, especially when mulling over the evidence put forward. Between 1960 and 2004, many Alaskan citizens went missing. In total, there were 24 disappearances and much of the town thought it was the work of a serial killer. Officials from the FBI investigated the various cases, deeming “excessive alcohol consumption and the [harsh] winter climate” as the probable cause. Osunsanmi apparently disagrees. His movie, “The Fourth Kind,” attempts to reveal the truth behind the supposed cover-up once and for all. With all the hype surrounding the film, it’s quite a stretch to expect viewers to believe aliens caused it all. Or is it?
Before the film begins, Jovovich addresses the camera and, indirectly, the viewers. Stating that she will be portraying Dr. Abigail Tyler — a psychiatrist who specializes in sleep disorders — Jovovich goes on to say that all of the movie’s scenes can be “supported by archived footage.”
A plethora of questions arise from this statement, and the audience watches with bated breath, clearly waiting for the other shoe to drop. Where is this tangible proof? How do we know it’s not a hoax? More importantly, however, what will happen if it is indeed true? “The Fourth Kind” makes an attempt to address these questions with supporting footage.
The story opens with Dr. Abigail Tyler (Jovovich) questioning “Tommy,” an alleged patient whose name has been changed. Tommy — one of a handful of participants in Tyler’s sleep disorder study — has been seeing an owl outside his room for nights on end. He says it keeps him awake and haunts his dreams. In a tense segment, with rapid-fire screen changes, the story begins to unfold. Tommy isn’t the only Alaskan who suffers from the appearance of this unwelcome visitor.
As Dr. Tyler interviews more and more patients who describe the same phenomenon, the tension in the air is palpable. The scenes build to a climax as Tommy agrees to undergo hypnosis in order to finally see what his subconscious has blocked from him. The fear in his face is remarkably genuine as he mentally faces his psychological assailant. After what seems like hours of watching a hypnotized Tommy squirm in fright, we see what appears to be a breakthrough. Tommy’s breathing, which had been choppy and ragged, seems to worsen as he gasps for air.
Repeating the word “no” to himself in a sort of fevered chant, Tommy abruptly lets out a bloodcurdling scream of terror and scrambles from the psychiatrist’s couch, breaking a lamp in the process. A second later, he does not recall any of what he has done, and when Dr. Tyler asks him about what he saw, he has no recollection.
While the authenticity of such re-enactments is doubtful to some, the movie does offer snippets of “archived footage” at various times throughout its duration. One shows another patient, “Scott,” levitating above his bed, apparently under the influence of alien control. The graininess and poor quality of the footage is attributed to the aliens’ desire to remain unknown. Tyler and her few supporters allege the aliens somehow electronically damaged the footage.
Whether the film was damaged by aliens to prove their power and remain a mystery or tampered with in the requisite fashion to appear damaged and old, the effects of the footage are intense. The movie definitely creates its own reality, and as far as some movies go to maintain that illusion, “The Fourth Kind” goes the farthest. In this generation of thrill seekers, the more elaborate the story, the better.
4 stars out of 5.
