This weekend marks the release of I AM NUMBER FOUR, the new Dreamworks suspense thriller from Director DJ Caruso and Producer Michael Bay. Based on the novel by Pittacus Lore, the story follows teenager John Smith (Alex Pettyfer) who has been forced to live his life on the run since he was a child, pursued by dark forces that want him dead. With help from his protector, Henri (Timothy Olypant), John has managed to survive out of the reach of those who wish him harm. There have been many questions surrounding this new release and viewers have been left wondering if this newest endeavor will pay off. ComicsOnline had a chance to participate in a Press Screening of the film and we are excited to say that I AM NUMBER FOUR is a pleasant surprise!
Beware of spoiilers beyond this point!
The questions surrounding the story’s mysterious lead character are quickly answered at the beginning of the film as John briefly explains more about the fates of Numbers 1-3, and why they have been killed one by one. It turns out that he is one of the surviving members of an alien world called Lorien, and that his world was destroyed many years ago by a race called the Mogadorians. For years the Mogadorians have been searching for the 9 escaped children of Lorien, slowly hunting them down one at a time. With help from his protector Henri, John has been able to remain unnoticed…until now. The two have now been forced to hide in a small town in Ohio, and John finds that this town holds more answers to his true destiny than he could ever imagine. John decides to hide in plain sight and enroll in the local high school where he befriends Sam (Callan McAuliffe), the local nerd and alien theorist, as well as the hot cheerleader from Glee (Diana Agron), now known as Sarah, who apparently transferred to Ohio after tiring of singing every five minutes. Things start to got hot and heavy with John and Sarah and before you know it, those pesky Mogadorians start causing trouble. Good thing that Number 6 (ripping off Battlestar Galatica‘s idea of having Six be a hot sexy girl) steps in to assist and help John save the day. Can Number 4 and Number 6 beat the odds and stop these evil alien hunters (I was going to say Predators but these aliens were way too goofy and it would offend the real Predators) and protect their new human friends?
There were two real stand out performances in I AM NUMBER FOUR, but the most important one of those was by Timothy Olypant. His sincerity and devotion to John came across as deep and believable while facing off against aliens. Henri acts a John’s Obi Wan Kenobi in the the film, guiding John towards a destiny that the boy doesn’t quite want or understand. He helps John accept that he can’t have a normal life and that he will play a key role in the fight against the Mogadorians. Additionally, Diana Agron gives a fantastic performance as Sarah, taking her previous High School Drama experience from Glee and adding aliens to the mix. Sarah is also trying to figure out what her destiny will be, but unfortunately for her, everyone else seems have some input. She is trying to break away from the mold of the High School Cheerleader and find a new path for herself. The incorporation of the photographic elements of her life stand out highly in this film as it allows for the audience to really connect with the character. And what of Number Four himself? While Alex Pettyfer’s acting wasn’t bad, it didn’t stand out either. His take on the troubled teenager wasn’t anything new, but he still manages to connect with the audience at several key points throughout the film.
If you hadn’t guessed by now, this is the first film in what Dreamworks hopes to be a lucrative franchise. The story isn’t wrapped up with a big bow, but instead leaves many questions unanswered with the intention of finding out more about John and the rest of his numbered Loriens in the future. The film had enough action and entertainment value that I look forward to seeing more installments in the series brought to the big screen. If you are looking for something fun to go and see this President’s Day Weekend, I AM NUMBER FOUR is the way to go.
ComicsOnline gives I AM NUMBER FOUR – 4 out of 5 Michael Bay projects that we actually enjoyed.
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