“The Fourth Kind” walks the line between a traditional narrative and faux documentary. The film claims to be based on real events and opens with actress Milla Jovovich informing the audience that she will be portraying Dr. Abbey Tyler. These real events are concerned with the city of Nome, Alaska. As you can probably infer from the name, “The Fourth Kind” is about aliens., and the title refers to the fourth kind of alien contact: abduction.

Dr. Abbey Tyler resides in Nome where she is continuing the studies of her recently deceased husband. As the film progresses, Dr. Abbey Tyler becomes entangled in the possibilities of a citywide epidemic of alien abductions.

It has been difficult to take seriously horror and science fictions films that claim to be passed on true events since the aftermath of “The Blair Witch Project.” The hook of “The Fourth Kind” is that the film is a conglomeration of actual video and audio footage and actor portrayals of true events. Audio of the actual Dr. Abbey Tyler is often played in sync or in place of Milla Jovovich’s dialogue. Handycam footage of Dr. Tyler’s therapy sessions is played alongside actor portrayals, and the two are intercut with one another.

The overall effect is gimmicky, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the style is bad. Most everything in Hollywood is gimmicky, and this gimmick is nominally convincing and is a consistent part of the film. It does not feel as if it was tacked on to add a few creepy moments, but it is a part of the film’s makeup from start to finish.
The downside to the style of “The Fourth Kind” is that the film couldn’t decide whether or not it was a documentary or a straightforward narrative. There are times when it feels like the film is wandering, and that is partially due to genre confusion. Science fiction? Documentary? History Channel docu-drama? The film definitely feels like the latter, albeit, a more expensive, heavy handed and subjective version. Yet it is a fun ride.

The genre split is off-putting at first, but if you throw caution to the wind, “The Fourth Kind” becomes entrancing and spellbinding. If the thought, “Is this for real?” ever crosses your mind, you’re hooked. This film’s gimmick will either turn you away or instantly snag you and drag you along for a creepy ride.

The movie is not a monster flick but is filled with suspense: the horror lies within the story and what is not seen. “The Fourth Kind” lulls you into a false sense of security and then slams your face into an unexpected cake of shocking visual spectacle. It’s delicious, engaging, and makes you crave more. And the best part is that there are bigger, better shocks after the first.

There are times that the film feels formulaic, specifically when concerning the shocks, but it’s forgivable. The film digs itself into a ditch by using the “it’s based on true events” gimmick and the shocking moments can be seen a mile away as a result. Fortunately, you may know where and when the shocks are going to come from, but you do not know what they will be.

The acting is perhaps the most enjoyable and oddest aspect to “The Fourth Kind.” Footage of Dr. Abbey Tyler is often intercut or played side-by-side footage of Jovovich, most often during the therapy sessions that are placed throughout the film. This forces a comparison between the film’s portrayal of events and the footage from the actual events. The performances may be subtly different or overacted in comparison, but this seems to work in the film’s benefit.

Jovovich’s performance is surprisingly entertaining, and she shows that she is not an actress who should be typecasted. “The Fourth Kind” and Jovovich are both entertaining surprises that, if nothing else, offer something a little different then the majority of Hollywood’s bland attempts at entertainment.

3 and a half stars.