PRINTMovie review: I Am Number Four
Skeptics beware and believers gear up for an enticing alien vs. alien fight for life
Courtesy of Touchstone Pictures
February 19, 2011 | 12:00 p.m. CST
A new spin about aliens on Earth takes the paranormal down a few notches to the relatively normal in I Am Number Four, as action, mystery and romance surround those who walk among us. They are much like humans, but come with all of the super-cool powers.
With only six numbers left, Number Four, or John (Alex Pettyfer), is the next number in a line of nine survivors to be killed after the Mogadorians decimated his entire planet. To gain an understanding of their special powers, called legacies, John and the other numbers are left to save their species and kill the Mogadorians who hunt them. After moving from place to place his entire life, John and his guardian, Henri (Timothy Olyphant), settle down in Paradise, Ohio after discovering Number Three was killed. There, John finds himself smitten with misunderstood Sarah (Dianna Agron) and befriends the alien-loving Sam (Callan McAuliffe), while trying to keep a low profile. It’s not until the Mogadorians show up, that John understands what his powers are truly capable of in battle and in wooing his girl.
Related MovieLucky to have a similar acting background, Agron steps into her role as the once popular ex-cheerleader (sensing any parallels?) with ease. Pettyfer also delivers his character’s teenage-alien emotions well, as John struggles to find a balance in his life between saving his kind and living the life of a human.
In this action-thriller, cinematography is the standout feature audiences should watch for. Moving from the beach to small town scenery, the camera catches every intimate moment between characters, as well as the action points throughout the film. Because of this, the plot becomes believable and easily brings audiences along for the ride as the mystery quickly unfolds.
With new details unraveled as the film progresses, audiences of I Am Number Four can look forward to a great rejuvenation of the age-old aliens invading Earth science fiction film, and believers can concoct a whole new theory to delve into.
Vox Rating: V V V
