I Am Number Four

Four is Definitely an Eight
[Alex Pettyfer, Timothy Olyphant, Teresa Palmer, Dianna Agron, Callan McAuliffe, Kevin Durand, Jake Abel]

image from daemonsmovies.com

RANT: Sorry for the delay. The MacBook was at the Apple Store for maintenance. And because of that, I am way behind with my reviews. Just know that I have been agonizing about not getting the reviews to you as quickly as possible.

SYNOPSIS: Nine aliens were sent to Earth, each with a warrior protector. Now, year laters, they are been hunted down in ascending order by the Mogs - a warring alien race who decimated their planet.

D.J. Caruso, director of Shia LaBeouf's Eagle Eye and Disturbia, makes a cast change in favor of Alex Pettyfer for the this sci-fi action flick. Written by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar from Smallville and Spider-man 2 credits, I Am Number Four is equal parts origin story, love story, sci-fi thriller and actioner.

Following the life of a young man, his life is turned upside during a beach party with friends when the emblem around his neck starts glowing in front of everyone. Henri, his protector and father figure, quickly erases all traces of their life and uproots them to Ohio. Now named John Smith, the young man is torn between staying off the grid to hide from the Mogadorians and blending in by going to school and socializing.

Alex Pettyfer as John or Number 4, is a flawless prettyboy who somehow manages to alienate himself and become a target by a group of bullies. Maybe it is because he is an alien. You feel for him because of his predictament and nomadic lifestyle, and root for him as he starts gaining his "legacy" powers. Timothy Olyphant as Henri brings all of his Justified and The Crazies charm to the role. Kevin Durand, from the 3:10 to Yuma reboot and X-Men Origins: Wolverine, plays the Mogadorian Commander who leads a team of his kind in the pursuit of eradicating the only beings that could stand in his way of destroying another planet. Durand is a chameleon of sorts in a lotof the roles he plays, but he always shows a a nonchalance and is at ease in the role. The cast is rounded out with love interest Sarah (Glee's Dianna Agron), loser alien hunter Sam (Callan McAuliffe), jilted ex-boyfriend Mark (Jake Abel) and experience teleporter Number 6 (Teresa Palmer).

The film starts strong, with the slaying of Number 3 in the rainforest. John and Henri's escape to paradise, Ohio sets the stage for John's coming into power and responsibility. But the introduction of the soon-to-be soulmate Sarah brings the mushy love and teenage angst about life in a small town and an escape of her own away from it all for something bigger. The story is a little choppy as we switch from sci-fi awakenings to teenage romance, but the third act's climatic battles between the Numbers and the Mogadorians makes up for most of the ealier shortcomings. And a gecko turned beagle brings plenty of chuckles to the mix as well.

The effects are slick and the story is suitable. One could sometimes mistake this alien sci-fi outing as more superhero cinema from a lost Dark Horse or Vertigo comic book series, but it fits the bill for fans of either.

Worth: Matinee or DVD

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