Those who study UFOs have developed a system of classifying UFO encounters. The first kind: sighting. The second kind: evidence. The third kind: contact. The fourth kind: abduction.
The Fourth Kind takes us one step past Steven Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Spielberg took us as far as contact. In The Fourth Kind, writer/director Olatunde Osunsanmi takes us past mere contact with alien life and purports to show us actual abduction by an alien intelligence. It wants you to believe it is real. Actually, the success partially hinges on the belief that this is absolute truth. So, be sure not to do any looking before seeing the film.
A quick search of the Web will reveal that The Fourth Kind is a hoax. No matter what the advertising will have you believe, no matter what the film shows you, it is not real. The stories are familiar and I am sure you have heard them all before. The bigger question is in which camp do you find yourself. Are you a believer? A non-believer? Perhaps a skeptic? Where you land on that spectrum will play a big part in how much entertainment you derive from this film.
Me? I fall nearest to skeptic. I do not doubt that there is other intelligent life in the universe. What I do doubt is that we have actually been visited. I mean, I think if we were to be visited by intelligent alien life they would either reveal themselves differently, or at the very least to different people. But that is neither here nor there, as it does not affect the effectiveness of this film in my eyes. I suspect that if you are a believer, you will be drawn right in, while the non-believer will find the proceedings laughable. However, if you are a movie fan, the entire exercise should prove to be interesting.
Article comments
1 - Jeff
Dear Chris,
While you are obviously a qualified and competent movie critic, that’s all you are! Don’t get me wrong, you are entitled to your opinion, but there are people who have spent there entire life’s interviewing, studying and researching this phenomena, including, until recently, a Harvard professor.
Anyone who doesn’t believe, at this point, that we are, and have been, visited by an extraterrestrial intelligence, for at least the last sixty years, is merely uninformed.
Dr David Jacobs, Budd Hopkins and the late, Dr. John Mack, represent over twenty years of research, interviewing thousands of alleged abductees’, from around the world and they all say the same thing.
Keep in mind, very little actual abduction criteria, has every been released. Meaning, if you watched and read everything regarding abductions, in an attempt to deceive one of these researchers, into believing you are an actual abductee, it WOULDN’T WORK.
Am I saying that the movie “The Fourth Kind”, represents an actual abduction case, NO, but make no mistake, the Phenomena, is real.
So, please continue, reviewing entertainment. That’s what your good at, but stay out of the deep end, you obviously can’t swim!
Sincerely,
JB
Harrisburg, PA.
2 - Christopher Rose
Jeff,
The author of this article is a skilled and experienced reviewer, in contrast with yourself, who merely seems to be opinionated.
Whilst it is one of my dearest wishes to see a meeting of terrestrials and extraterrestrials, it is certainly wishful thinking to conclude that there is evidence of visitations, never mind actual abductions.
There are several tens of thousands of scientists on our planet, so it will certainly take more than the opinions of just three to make the case.
The fact that many alleged abductees say the same thing is no proof of veracity at all.
Meanwhile, I'd stay in the paddling pool if I were you, you can't even spell accurately, never mind think!
3 - jeff
First of all Richard, or do you mind if I call you Dick!
Was I talking to you!
Secondly, if you think all of the evidence regarding extraterrestrial visitation, is nothing more then “wishful thinking” your not just uninformed, your stupid!
I have neither the time nor the patients, to educate you, but when I want your opinion, I’ll come down to McDonalds, and ask for a large fry!
Sincerely,
JB
4 - Christopher Rose
Jeff, not only can you not write, spell or think, you can't even read with attention. I see no need to even bother responding further to your lazy ignorance.
5 - Chris Beaumont
Who's Richard?
6 - doug m
An experienced reviewer wouldn't spoil the movie for everyone and a skilled one wouldn't be redundant like the start of the second paragraph.
7 - Chris Beaumont
Guess it's a good thing I'm neither. Kinda takes the pressure off.
8 - Jordan Richardson
I have neither the time nor the patients
Business is slow?
9 - david
the fourth kind sucked, rookie movie maker, who has no back ground of ufology, threw it in a blender, all mixed up. the movie lovers are in a crib and have no clue.