An extraordinary young man, John Smith, is a fugitive on the run from ruthless enemies sent to destroy him. Changing his identity, moving from town to town with his guardian Henri, John is always the new kid with no ties to his past. In the small Ohio town he now calls home, John encounters unexpected, life-changing events -- his first love, powerful new abilities and a connection to the others who share his incredible destiny.
Genres: Action/Adventure, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Thriller and Adaptation Running Time: 1 hr. 44 min. Release Date: February 18th, 2011 (wide) MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and for language. Distributor: DreamWorks Studios
Cast And Credits
Starring:
Alex Pettyfer, Timothy Olyphant, Teresa Palmer, Dianna Agron, Kevin Durand
Directed by:
D.J. Caruso
Produced by:
Chris Bender, J.C. Spink, David Valdes
Strip away the uninspired mythology, and “I Am Number Four†is just your average high school movie with below-average drama. Fielding familiar classroom stereotypes â€" the bully, the science geek, the strutting alien female in the skintight cat suit â€" this turgid schedule filler is only marginally more fun than a week’s worth of detention.
Based on the young-adult novel by Pittacus Lore (who markets himself as an extraterrestrial), the story concerns nine alien teenagers hiding out on Earth from an evil race known as the Mogadorians. Resembling an apocalyptic biker gang with a bad case of ringworm, the Mogs are hunting down their prey in numeric order. When the film opens, three are dead and the fourth, a k a John Smith (Alex Pettyfer), is on the run.
Alighting in a small Ohio town with his protector, Henri (Timothy Olyphant, whose hotness is a sweet distraction from the general twaddle), John swiftly acquires a shutterbug girlfriend (Dianna Agron, bland as butter) and a slew of super-abilities. These tricks are soon tested by the simultaneous arrival of the Mogs and Number Six (Teresa Palmer), which prompts the director, D. J. Caruso, to start blowing stuff up and the audience to anticipate a minimum of five sequels.
Sluggish and derivative, “I Am Number Four†is another elaborate puberty metaphor with superpowers substituting for testosterone: when John gets overexcited, rays of light shoot from his palms. He should be thankful it’s not hair.
“I Am Number Four†is rated PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned). Tattooed warriors and turkey-eating shape shifters.
Strip away the uninspired mythology, and “I Am Number Four†is just your average high school movie with below-average drama. Fielding familiar classroom stereotypes â€" the bully, the science geek, the strutting alien female in the skintight cat suit â€" this turgid schedule filler is only marginally more fun than a week’s worth of detention. 
Sluggish and derivative, “I Am Number Four†is another elaborate puberty metaphor with superpowers substituting for testosterone: when John gets overexcited, rays of light shoot from his palms. He should be thankful it’s not hair. 
