Starring: Milla Jovovich
Director: Olatunde Osunsanmi (first major feature)
Running Time: 1 hr 38 min
Release Date: Nov. 6, 2009
Budget: N/A
Average Critics’ Score: 23%
“…clever and chilling.” M.E. Russell, Portland Oregonian
“…ludicrous.” Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times
This horror suspense thriller lost any hope for authenticity as soon as Jovovich announced in the opening that she is an actress and will be playing the role of Dr. Abigail Tyler, a psychologist in Alaska who believes aliens are abducting local residents. What is this: a stage play or a soap opera announcing the roles of the actors? The Fourth Kind juxtaposes Jovovich’s reenactments with supposed documentary footage of the real Dr. Tyler to make it feel real, but this technique strips away any potential for true terror as Paranormal Activity, currently playing, accomplished thanks to truly believable acting. While Kind is good for some interesting conspiracies, they quickly become cheesy and tedious.
