Film Reviews

I Am Number 4

• Rating:
• Director: D.J. Caruso
• Starring: Alex Pettyfer
• Details: US/109mins 12A

Another teen book series gets the blockbuster treatment, and in fairness to Disney they've put serious clams behind this one. Disturbia and Eagle Eye helmer DJ Caruso does a very good job of staging the action sequences, while rising British star Alex Pettyfer is a suitably pensive lead - but the film is choppy. Too many poorly realised characters and a plot that sporadically slows to a halt to insert cheesey quips cancels out a lot of the fine special effects and action.
Pettyfer is teen Alien, Number 4. As a baby he was transported to earth - along with 8 other youngsters - after his planet was destroyed by a nasty race of lanky ET's called Mogadorians. Sent with him was his guardian warrior (the always excellent Olyphant), who acts as his father on earth but is actually an overprotective bodyguard. When the two move to a small town after one of the other, eh, numbers is hunted down and killed, Four meets the girl of his dreams (Glee's Agron) and refuses to move again despite the possible extinction of his race. Meanwhile, another capable warrior (Palmer) is hot on their trail and seemingly covering their tracks.
It's obvious Hollywood sees Pettyfer as a another possible Robert Pattinson, albeit one with more of a classic movie star physicality. And as lazy as it may seem to brand I Am Number 4 'Twilight for boys', it's really not a million miles away. The overly ponderous love scenes are replaced with an action, and producer Michael Bay's finger prints are all over it. That means a soundtrack filled with recognisable tunes, and some sharply edited fights and shootouts - with an added fantastical element. So younger teens will love it, then.
The supporting characters, for the most part, feel like complete afterthoughts and the film would've moved much better had some been cut. The geeky teen pseudo-sidekick is particularly clichéd, with his existence only justified when the plot ups a gear in the last twenty minutes. The school bully (who looks remarkably like Kevin Bacon), is another one straight out of a teen drama from the 90s, while Teresa Palmer's cool heroine kicks ass, but is sloppily inserted throughout and then forced to utter some cringey puns.
There is always the steady hand of Timothy Olyphant, who has a calming presence whenever he's on screen. He instantly brings something different to the Guardian and the scenes between him and Pettyfer are some of the strongest in the film. No one plays elegant and intense like the Justified actor.
Well made, but overly familiar, and riddled with badly-written characters and dialogue.

Review by Mike Sheridan