6 | / 10 |
Users | 4.2 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.8 |
1n 1972, a scale of measurement was established for alien encounters. When a UFO is sighted, it is called an encounter of the first kind. When evidence is collected, it is known as an encounter of the second kind. When contact is made with extraterrestrials, it is the third kind. The next level, abduction, is the fourth kind. This encounter has been the most difficult to document-until now. Set in modern-day Nome, Alaska, where-- mysteriously since the 1960s--a disproportionate number of the population has been reported missing every year. Despite multiple FBI investigations of the region, the truth has never been discovered. Here in this remote region, psychologist Dr. Abigail Tyler began videotaping sessions with traumatized patients and unwittingly discovered some of the most disturbing evidence of alien abduction ever documented.
Starring: Milla Jovovich, Will Patton, Hakeem Kae-Kazim, Elias Koteas, Corey JohnsonHorror | 100% |
Thriller | 97% |
Mystery | 31% |
Sci-Fi | 19% |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: DTS 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Spanish: DTS 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French/Spanish: DTS 5.1 @768 kbps
English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
BD-Live
D-Box
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
There's something to be said for perpetuated myths in modern culture. Debates rage, arguments turn sour, and accusations are hurled with abandon, but the fun, dear readers, lies in the mystery of it all. For every brash skeptic, there's an inexplicable oddity; a bit of convincing amateur video, a strange audio recording, an event that doesn't adhere to the laws of logic. For every wide-eyed true believer, there's a damning piece of evidence; a simple explanation, an emerging scientific study, a revelation in neuropsychology. But for those of us in the middle, those who revel in the enigma and embrace the unknown, such stories are the stuff of engrossing books, captivating television and, more to the point, unforgettable films. Sadly, The Fourth Kind isn't going to linger long in anyone's mind. It isn't Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Mothman Prophecies, War of the Worlds, Incident at Roswell... it isn't even Fire in the Sky. Sharing more in common with The Exorcist and Paranormal Activity than its more traditional genre brethren, writer/director Olatunde Osunsanmi's cleverly conceived examination of events that supposedly occurred in the remote Alaskan town of Nome is a flawed but entertaining bit of cinematic sleight-of-hand; a decent but somewhat shallow "true story" that celebrates the inner-workings of its illusion above all else.
The Fourth Kind arrives on Blu-ray with a strong, presumably faithful 1080p/VC-1 transfer; one that separates the actors' melodramatization even farther apart from the "real" footage the filmmakers procured of Nome's otherworldly encounters. When Jovovich and her castmates take center stage, the image proves itself to be quite striking. Rich colors, hearty blacks, and wonderfully rendered fine details rule the day, as do exceedingly crisp closeup textures, lifelike skintones, and brazen contrast leveling. Note Patton's wiry stubble, the translucent hairs on the back of Jovovich's neck, the tiniest pores that dot the actors' faces. A faint veneer of grain is present at all times, but compression artifacts are nowhere to be found, and other distracting issues -- aliasing, ringing, banding, and smearing -- are MIA. Yes, source noise and crush both make appearances, but they seem to be the product of Lorenzo Senatore's original photography, not Universal's transfer. However, alongside these oh-so-refined scenes come some of the most gnarled and noisy shots imaginable. Dr. Tyler's somber interviews are beset with garish aliasing that transform her sharp nose and sunken cheeks into flights of stairs; macroblocking turns each video clip into a muddled mess cursed with unwieldy blots of light and shadow; and definition and clarity are reduced to a gimmick. Of course, it's all meticulously designed to support the illusion Osunsanmi is creating, and every ungainly bit of it is intentional. It all makes for a schizophrenic, albeit effective presentation fans of the film will be delighted to see unfold in high definition.
Universal's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track is just as jarring, but even more mesmerizing. Osunsanmi draws his viewers forward with Jovovich's subdued therapy sessions and Patton's measured interrogations, only to send them hurtling back with a chaotic cacophony of unsettling noise; an explosion of dissonant strings, guttural screams, and high-pitched cries crafted and honed to assault the senses and unnerve anyone in earshot. LFE output is powerful to say the least -- an increasingly heavyset hum permeates every alien encounter, thundering effects and Atli Örvarsson's intense score form perfect sonic storms, and hurried police cruisers and shouting officers are anchored to the soundscape with legitimate weight and presence -- and rear speaker activity goes for the jugular (or its inner-ear equivalent). Moreover, dynamics are outstanding, directionality is so precise it's eerie, and pans are frighteningly smooth. That being said, I do wish quieter scenes weren't so restrained. I can't tell you how many times I had to adjust my volume, simply because a hushed conversation would be immediately followed by a deafening (at-times uncomfortably loud) burst of madness. Dialogue is almost always clean and intelligible (save the intentionally warbled, low-quality audio that accompanies the film's "real" video footage), and each audible deviation certainly enhances the film's overall impact, but be warned: The Fourth Kind isn't the sort of flick you can pop in while your family's trying to sleep upstairs.
The Blu-ray edition of The Fourth Kind only includes one special feature, a 23-minute collection of deleted, extended, and alternate scenes (presented in standard definition), the majority of which retread ground that was covered far more convincingly in the final cut of the film.
Had Osunsanmi made a few relatively minor changes, The Fourth Kind could have possibly stood side by side with Paranormal Activity. Instead, it's merely a well-conceived thriller that tries a bit too hard. It certainly doesn't deserve the critical drubbing that met its theatrical release, but dig too deeply and the entire experience will begin to unravel. Thankfully, the only disappointment I encountered while perusing Universal's Blu-ray release was yet another unreasonably small and underdeveloped supplemental package. Otherwise, the disc satisfies with a sharp, faithful video transfer and a brawny DTS-HD Master Audio track primed to wake the neighbors. In the end, I enjoyed The Fourth Kind more than most, but a rental is definitely in order. Give it a rent, give it a spin, and see if it appeals to your sensibilities.
2010
2011
2013
2011
1982
2007
2009
2009
1997
2007
Theatrical + Unrated Alternate Cut
2007
2009
2009
2008
2010
2007
2013
Unrated Director's Cut
2010
2016
2005