Running from malicious aliens that are attempting to decimate the earth while simultaneously learning to control new-found supernatural abilities is not usually part of the normal teenage experience. Then again, John Smith is anything but normal.

Directed by D.J. Caruso and based on the novel of the same name by Pittacus Lore, the pen name of James Frey and Jobie Hughes, I Am Number Four follows the story of John (Alex Pettyfer), a 15-year-old teenager from the planet Lorien. Along with eight other young Loriens, John is being hunted down by the Mogadorians, another race of aliens. When the movie begins, the third Lorien is dead and the Mogadorians are now after John, who is number four on their hit list.

Whenever his guardian, Henri, deems that he is in danger, John is forced to move to another town, change his identity, and continue to live hidden from his enemies. However, when he moves to Paradise, Ohio, John falls in love with Sarah Hart (Dianna Agron, Glee), a pretty blonde girl in his high school, and refuses to leave the city even when his whereabouts are divulged.

20-year-old English actor Pettyfer plays the role of John quite well, portraying the character of a young adventurous teen with his mischievous yet charming smiles and muscular body. Acting in his first American film, Pettyfer impresses audiences as well as critics with his ability to convey believable emotions. For instance, he effectively expresses the anger that he feels when being teased by the football bullies at his new school with fiery eyes and clenched fists. Also, the childlike curiosity and the excitement he reveals when discovering his supernatural powers are realistic enough that the audience can relate to them.

While the movie’s thrilling action scenes and epic fights between the Loriens and the Mogadorians keep viewers tense on their seats, the romantic relationship between John and Sarah progresses in a rather bland and hackneyed manner. With cliché lines such as “she’s not just a girl” and “all I think about is you,” the teen love drama between the protagonists seems too predictable and is no more meaningful than a typical chick flick movie.

In addition, while Agron plays the role of John’s love interest generally well, her acting comes across as stiff at times, with a slight monotone hindering her portrayal of fear or anger.

An element common to all of the actors is the forced nature their speech sometimes possesses. The most glaring example is their reluctance to swear with emotion, seeming almost scared to speak in expletives, which detracts slightly from their performances. At times, the script failed to impress with an overload of cliched lines; however, its overall simplicity helps to keep the plot from becoming stagnant and prevents the audience from becoming confused.

Although the long, dark overcoats, tattooed heads, gills, and pointy teeth all add to the creepy nature of the Mogadorians, their few speaking lines are more comical than intimidating. When their leader speaks in English, his grave voice barely makes up for the almost baby-like tone of his speech.

Other intentionally comedic elements of the movie are more effective and bring positive reactions from the audience. Oftentimes, small jokes and references are inserted in between or in the middle of fast-paced action scenes, momentarily relieving the audience from the scene’s intensity. For example, John making a fist and accidentally breaking a street lamp with his newly discovered powers or finding out that his ringtone is ironically Rockwell’s “Somebody’s Watching Me” are two of many scenes that elicit hearty laughter from viewers.
Action, thriller, and love scenes throughout the film are punctuated by a score that accentuates the plot. A mix of instrumental soundtracks and popular vocal songs, such as Rolling in the Deep by Adele, augments the emotion in each scene, enhancing the audience’s connection to the film. While the music is subtle enough not to overwhelm the substance of the movie, it still makes enough of an impact to be appreciated.

Although the score is consistently spot on, the special effects sometimes seem to lack refinement. Actors flip and somersault through the air during fight scenes in easily recognizable wire-assisted stunts; at times, it almost seems as though the wires would actually be visible to anyone who looked hard enough. Also, the representation of the superpowers, also called “legacies” in the movie, seem poorly edited; John almost appears to be holding a light source that emits his powers. On the other hand, the realistic nature of the computer-generated imagery (CGI)-created creatures help add to the supernatural aura. In keeping with many of his previous movies, producer Michael Bay fills the movie with fiery explosions and pyrotechnic shootouts with the help of a great deal of special effects, and the detonations and blasts themselves are believable and entertaining.

While some areas could have been improved, the film has an overall appealing mix of fast-paced sci-fi action and sweet teen romance to keep the audience entertained throughout the 110 minutes.

Overall Rating: 3/5 stars.