I Am Number Four is very much the movie equivalent of Smallville: a handsome teenage alien living in middle America while coming terms with his newfound powers. All this while battling other alien life forms and falling for the local sweetie pie. It is not surprising to see that the screenwriters for the movie are the same duo of Alfred Hough and Miles Millar from Smallville.
That overall TV show feel is further perpetuated no small thanks to its casting of familiar TV favorites like Olyphant and Agron. I Am Number Four is also an obvious attempt at cashing in on the Twilight craze, with its teen sci-fi romance instead of pseudo horror-romance of the latter. Unfortunately, the main characters, with the possible exception of McAuliffe and Olyphant are almost as bland as those from Twilight.
Pettyfer who is trying to be a star via adult fantasy films like Stormbreaker and the soon to be released Beastly is the kind of handsome but bland and wooden leading man normally associated with 50’s sword and sandal flicks. His performance here is disappointing as the lead. Although he certainly will attract many teenage female fans to the movie, he needs to show more than being a glorified male model if he wants to strike it big in the movie world.
Glee’s Agron portrays more sweetness here than she is allowed on the TV show but her age is beginning to tell. It seems like she is getting on a little to be cast as a high school girl. Still she does what she can to carry her character with a bit of enthusiasm. In the movie, her Sarah is akin to Mary Jane Watson or Lois Lane, always supporting the main man but never in the thick of the action.
I Am Number Four essentially does what it is meant to be : a middle of the road sci-fi movie aimed at teens. Personally I would just keep the money watch rerun of Smallville on TV for free.
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