I Am Number Four - Review

I've heard I Am Number Four described as "Twilight with Aliens." I can see why one might think that, but I wouldn't make that generalization quite yet. Like Twilight, I Am Number Four is based off a series (or rather a proposed series) or young adult novels featuring sci-fi/fantasy characters in a high school setting. Aside from that similarity, there really isn't THAT much else the two series have in common. Plus, I Am Number Four isn't nearly as bad as Twilight. It feels more like your typical teen-centric sci fi series you would see the WB like Smallville or Buffy.

The movie centers around John Smith (Alex Pettyfer), a teenage alien from the planet Lorien sent to Earth shortly after birth in order to escape from an invading race known as the Mogadorians. Eight other infants from his planet were also sent to Earth, which has lead a squad of Mogadorians to Earth with the objective of finding and killing the eight escapees. The first three are killed, while John, number four, is next on the list. Guarded by his assigned protector, Henri (Timothy Olyphant), the two take refuge in the isolated town of Paradise, OH, where John suddenly begins to develop special abilities.

One thing to know about me, I'm a huge sci fan. While I wouldn't say I was particularly interested in I Am Number Four, there are worse things than seeing aliens beat the crap out of other aliens. That being said, the first two-thirds of this movie are torture. John starts attending a new high school, is harassed by bullies, makes friend with another social outcast, and starts falling for the hottest girl in arms reach. To say that the first two acts are slow and disengaging would be probably the biggest understatement I've ever written on this blog. Its cliche, boring, and dull... nothing here hasn't been seen a million times before. I would normally say its been done better, but I can't really think of a time this sort of a thing has really worked. It was passable in the X-Men movies but even then felt pretty uninspired. We never get a real feel for a lot of these characters, especially the villains. Why did they invade? What is their motivation? None of that ever really gets answered.

As bad as the storyline goes, the casting is even worse. Alex Pettyfer... how do I put this??? He sucks, plain and simple. He's just awful! First off, if your main character is supposed to be this awkward social outcast, don't cast the guy who looks like an Abercrombie model! If you must cast the said example of a perfect being, he really should be able to engage his character in some way, shape, or form. A blank face, zero chemistry with the romantic interest, and next to nothing about this guy is even remotely engaging. While we're on the subject, the actress who plays that said romantic lead, Dianna Argon, isn't much better of a performer.

Timothy Olyphant channels his best Michael Biehn impression and is the only actor who actually comes close to giving a passable performance. He's still as bland and empty as the others, but it actually felt like he was trying. While I can't say his acting was great or even that good, I will say that he is the only character you can actually give a damn about. The villains Mogadorians and the other good alien (known simply as Number 6), are at the opposite end of the spectrum with forced over-the-top performances. In a sea of blank faces, you would think that some at least some overacting might at least add some so-bad-its-good appeal, but they really don't. Aside for maybe one or two moments they're given barely anything to do and have next to no screen time. As you can see, the cast for this movie is one consecutive fail after the other.

Now, in spite of all the bad things I've said... there is a faint light at the end of this tunnel. The third act actually does liven things up a bit. Throughout the weak exposition, the story was building up to this epic alien vs alien climax. By the time you get there... its actually not that bad. No, its by no means a great action climax, but its easily the most enjoyable thing to happen in the movie. Its basically what you would expect... lasers, giant monsters, and superpowers. Not the most original sci-fi battle, but you can't argue with what works. As long as we're talking about what works, I should mention that some of the make up effects are pretty good and some of the cgi is actually kind of creative. So the movie isn't a total dud.

Overall, I Am Number Four doesn't really deliver. I wouldn't say I was disappointed since I went into this movie with no expectations. This material would have probably been more effective as a TV series on the CW as opposed to a series of films, though it definitely could be worse. I mean, its better than Twilight... but that's not saying much. So yeah, I can't recommend I Am Number Four, but if the plot sounds like something you might be interested in, than it might make for a semi-decent rental when it comes out on DVD.

My Score: 2 out of 5!