PLOT SYNOPSIS: 

An extraordinary young man, John Smith, is a fugitive on the run from ruthless enemies sent to destroy him. Changing his identity, moving from town to town with his guardian Henri, John is always the new kid with no ties to his past. In the small Ohio town he now calls home, John encounters unexpected, life-changing events -- his first love, powerful new abilities and a connection to the others who share his incredible destiny.

ANALYSIS:

I AM NUMBER FOUR may turn out to be something great if there are future movies made.   This film is a good start and hits all the right spots of an outsider in high school (it’s just that he has to be one because aliens want to kill him and five other alien children with special powers).   He has the teenage angst thing going for him and the first love thing developing (which his protector says will be his only love).  Number 4 comes into his own during this movie, but I still Number 6 is one bad ass chick and she steals the movie.  

I AM NUMBER FOUR has some entertaining action stuff, but the high school drama is where the film really shines as John Smith (aka Number 4) falls for a young female photographer and makes friends with a kid (who is being bullied by the clichéd football player jerks and his missing father happens to have a connection to the special alien children).  The Mogs are hunting down the nine alien children (with special powers) and they have already killed the first three.  

 I AM NUMBER FOUR hits the right notes with the lives of teenagers while showing the old movie theme of the young teenager wanting to belong and he ends having destiny forced upon him.  His life is a lie as he is moving from place to place with his protector (who pretends to be his father).   John wants to be normal, but he can never be nothing less than extraordinary (he has powers called Legacies).   He finds the uniqueness in people whether it is the photographer girl he has a crush on or the teenage boy who is bullied (and wants to find his father).  

 I AM NUMBER FOUR manages to develop the characters while pushing forward a story which is only the beginning of a story.   I do want to learn more about Number Six and I hope a sequel will reveal more about her.

I hope they do make a sequel because I did enjoy I AM NUMBER FOUR and will re-watch it on DVD (or Blu-ray).

this movie review is (c)2-21-2011 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission.  send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com