I Am Number Four leaves you hoping there will be no Five
By Camille Warren Talon staff writer
“This is the part I hate the most: the running.” A story about a boy on the run for his life, ensnares you as the mystery of his past and what will happen in the future unfold.
An explosive opening scene followed by an ominous threat to his life, cleverly crafted by Director DJ Caruso (Disturbia), leaves you on the edge of
your seat. But the intense mood abruptly dissipates when you find yourself rolling your eyes as a girl walks away from an explosion in slow motion.
After that the movie does not improve much as more and more platitudes appear that you can’t help but mock. From the obvious plot structure to the
corny script I Am Number Four can only be described as cliché.
Seven survivors from a distant planet remained alive the invasion of the Magadorian, and now seek refuge on earth. Alex Pettyfer plays
John who is on the run for his life with the help of his mentor, Henri (Timothy Olyphant). He moves from town to town in an effort to evade the
Magadorians who are after him. But when the first three survivors from their planet are killed, the threat becomes even more present because he is
Number Four. John is forced to change schools and start all over. And that is where it all goes down hill.
He enters the typical high school scene. In his first day at his new school he befriends a boy named Sam (Callen McAuliffe) when he saves
him from getting beat up by the captain of the football team/homecoming king Mark (Jake Abel). He then makes enemies with Mark by falling for ex-
girlfriend Sarah (Dianna Argon from Glee). With in his first day at a new school John befriends the outcast, makes enemies with the jock, and falls for the ex-girlfriend of the jock. Predictable.
Not only was the plot sub-par, but the script was lacking as well. John’s new friend Sam had been searching for aliens his entire life and John
happens to be an alien. This creates a convenient yet unnecessary problem, and when it comes to a head Sam makes a confession in hopes that John
will trust him with his secret. “My entire childhood has been like an episode of the X-files” Sam tells him, completely serious, effectively killing the
intensity of the situation.
Overdone one-liners are littered through out the entire movie ready to deplete the movie of any respect it would have gotten. On top of that John wants to be a normal teenager like anyone else, but his mentor Henri continually reminds him he’s not, and that it is crucial that he stays under the radar. His evolving powers make it harder for him to stay unnoticed and his growing love for Sarah makes him crave normalcy.
But the Magadorians are closing in and it is the wrong time for a teenage rebellion. It makes complete sense to pack up and move again in order to
evade the Magadorian threat, but no. Of course he can’t leave behind the girl he is in love with even though they just met. “We don’t love like humans.
With us it’s forever” he is told by his mentor in an overly sappy moment between the two. So he decides to stay and fight.
This is what you have been waiting for: action. The fight scenes are the redeeming quality of the movie. Sans a couple of slow motion moves,
the action sequences make the movie worth it. The impressive powers of the bad guys make up for their tattoos and black trench coats. Flashing lights
and bright colors blend as people fight at lighting speed.
Just as the movie gains an ounce of respect back they throw in the ultimate cliché of riding off into the sunset, setting up for a sequel I hope never happens.