I Am Number Four Review

People watch movies for a lot of very different reasons. If you're watching a comedy you expect to laugh your ass off. If you're watching a horror movie you expect to scream your ass off. Drama, you like for your heart strings to be tugged at a bit. When I go and see an action movie I'm actually looking for a couple of things. Explosions, absolutely. Fight scenes, most definitely. Hot chicks that need saving, you know it. Throw in a good story, a believable one at that and I'm hooked. I'm set. I Am Number Four completed my mandatory checklist of things I expect from an action movie.


I Am Number Four is based on the novel of the same name written by Jobie Hughes and James Frey, with an adapted screenplay by Al Gough and Miles Millar (the guys who brought you Smallville). The movie stars Alex Pettyfer (Beastly), Timothy Olyphant (Live Free or Die Hard), Teresa Palmer (Take Me Home Tonight) and Dianna Agron (Glee).

From the outset the movie tried to build it's story explaining the who number thing with hopes that we would just take the explanation for what it was and wait for all the action to begin. I will admit it did take awhile for the action to get going but once it did it was well worth the wait. This movie borders on Science Fiction with it's mythical aliens from another planet, the outer space weaponry and the glowing hands of Pettyfer's character but it didn't feel like I was watching something from Battlestar Galactica. Instead it started off as a teen drama, that eventually transformed into a full blown action movie. Let's go back to the checklist shall we.

First there was the explosion. It happened early in the movie and it had the classic "Walk away in slow motion then seconds later an explosion erupts behind you" scene that occurs in every action movie ever made. But it works! Towards the end of the movie you have your fight scenes which were eye opening and exciting. One of the movies while watching that I thought to myself and said, "Why isn't this in 3-D?" I know right? 3-D is an overused, over-exaggerated use of movie making BUT -- in this case it could have made the special effect in the film that much better. Anyways, third on the checklist is hot chicks that need saving. We have Dianna Agron's character as the love interest and if you are a fan of Glee you see on a weekly basis how stricking this girl really is so I'm sure you will agree with me there. As far as story it was simple enough and explained easily enough for it to be believable and that's all we ask for when when dive into the world of Science Fiction.

I Am Number Four is a very entertaining movie. It's geared more towards a younger audience but that doesn't mean people of all ages won't enjoy this film. Because you WILL! The action alone makes this movie a must see and a movie that although underrated will surprise a lot of people once given the opportunity to do so.

4 out of 5 stars