Movie review: Brainless "Number Four" couldn't count that high

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

The science fiction thriller, "I Am Number Four," is less a movie than a teen TV serial on the CW sandwiched between "Supernatural" and "Smallville."

It's a lightweight, B-grade fantasy with plenty of high school hotties, teen angst and zero originality, like a big-budgeted retread of the worst season of "Heroes."

Newcomer Alex Pettyfer is John, one of the last of his alien race hiding out on Earth with a bodyguard ("Justified's" Timothy Olyphant), who is trying to protect him from a warring race of humanoids (think clean-shaven Klingons with gills).

But those nasty hormones kick in, and John would rather fall for the fetching Sarah ("Glee's" Dianna Agron) than keep his head in the race-saving game.

As "I Am Number Four" gets deeper into its battle between the good and bad aliens, producer Michael Bay ("Transformers") and director D.J. Caruso ("Disturbia") can't help but careen from one laughably-bad scenario to another.

Let's just hope there isn't a Number Five. —

Hhj

I Am Number Four

High school teens battle to save alien race on Earth in this laughably bad science fiction thriller.

Where • Theaters everywhere

When • Opens Friday, Feb. 18

Rating • Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and for language.

Running time • 110 minutes