I AM NUMBER FOUR
(PG-13)
MOVIE: ***1/2 (out of 5)
BLU-RAY EXPERIENCE: ** (out of 5)
BY KEVIN CARR
With both the “Harry Potter” and “Twilight” series coming to a close, studios are scrambling to find the next big young adult book adaptations. “I Am Number Four” is what DreamWorks and Touchstone have thrown into the ring. The story follows a young man who is actually an alien hiding on Earth. When his location has been uncovered by the evil Mogadorian assassins hone in on his location, he discovers he has some amazing powers to defend himself.
“I Am Number Four” is a great little action flick for middle school and high school kids. It’s relatively safe in terms of violence, with most of the action displaying itself in explodey goodness. Alex Pettyfer, who seems to be the go-to guy for the spring of 2011, looks good in the part of John Smith, the boy on the run. Unfortunately, he’s nothing that jumps off the screen. At least he’s balanced by the fetching Teresa Palmer, who is another being from his planet. Oh, and Dianna Agron from “Glee” is in the film too, though her sidestory is just a bit too whiney and angsty for my tastes.
The disc set comes with the Blu-ray, the DVD and a bonus Digital copy disc. Sadly, the special features are alarmingly scant, offering only a blooper reel, deleted scenes and a short featurette on Teresa Palmer called “Becoming Number Six.”