I Am Number Four

Based on the book by Pittacus Lore, I Am Number Four follows teenage alien John Smith (Alex Pettyfer) as he and his guardian attempt to blend into the fabric of a small town - with their efforts inevitably confounded by the arrival of vicious warriors from a rival planet called Mogador. Despite the decidedly sci-fi bent of its premise, I Am Number Four is primarily concerned with the budding (and idealized) relationship between John and a kindhearted local (Dianna Agron's Sarah) - which, when coupled with a slightly overlong running time, does contribute heavily to the film's distinctly erratic atmosphere. There's little doubt, however, that director D.J. Caruso does a superb job of holding the viewer's interest even through the narrative's more overtly lackadaisical interludes, as the movie boasts a number of enthralling action sequences that prove instrumental in carrying the proceedings through its romance-oriented midsection. (It also doesn't hurt that Caruso has populated the film with an impressive assortment of performers, with Pettyfer's engaging turn as the reluctant hero matched by a strong supporting cast that includes Timothy Olyphant, Teresa Palmer, and Kevin Durand.) The exciting, unexpectedly gripping third act - which revolves almost entirely around John's battle against the evil Mogadorians - cements I Am Number Four's place as an above average sci-fi thriller, and it goes without saying that the promise of further installments at the film's close is far more welcome than one might have initially anticipated.

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