The Fourth Kind

The Fourth Kind is currently streaming in the UK on Amazon Prime Video, and it earns its premise rather than just borrowing genre trappings. The runtime earns every minute, with nothing here that feels like padding. A 6/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Watch it for Milla Jovovich — the performance elevates material that could easily tip into self-seriousness. Put it on tonight on Amazon Prime Video and see for yourself.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, The Fourth Kind is worth clearing space for. The Fourth Kind treats its concept seriously enough to follow it all the way through. Since the 1960s, a disproportionate number of the population in and around Nome, Alaska, have gone missing. Despite FBI investigations, the disappearances remain a mystery. Dr. Milla Jovovich and Elias Koteas lead a cast that never lets the concept overwhelm the characters. The Fourth Kind came out in 2009. What separates The Fourth Kind from lesser genre entertainment is a willingness to let the concept cost the characters something. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

Sci-fi fans who want ideas alongside the spectacle will find The Fourth Kind genuinely rewarding. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Milla Jovovich's performance is the anchor the more ambitious moments need. The world-building pays off in ways you will not anticipate on a first watch.