Movie review: I am number four *

I am number four *

Stars: Alex Pettyfer, Timothy Olyphant, Dianna Agron
Director: DJ Caruso
Rated: PG-13
Showing: Southside Cinema, week beginning Friday February 25 - Daily at 7:30pm. For more information about film times, call 297-2821.
Runtime: 110 minutes
Sci-fi/action

A derivative and forgettable action movie from Disney — a cliché-ridden and predictable teen soap opera teamed with sci-fi.

Alex Pettyfer (Stormbreaker) plays John, a teenage alien from the planet Lorien who is on the run from the evil Mogadorians, the species which destroyed his home.

He is one of only nine of his race who survived – and they are being hunted.

They have to be killed in numerical order. Three have been slaughtered – John is number four.

He and his guardian Henri (Timothy Olyphant, Deadwood) flee to the town of Paradise in Ohio — a thinly-veiled hint that it may be utopia by name but not by nature. Here the movie becomes a typical teen drama as the new kid is shunned by the cool kids, befriends the school geek — who happens to be obsessed by aliens — and falls for a cute girl-next-door type.

But as his alien powers start to build, including super-strength, his foes are soon hot on his tail — although this time he refuses to flee. Produced by Michael Bay, it follows his usual formula — big-budget, brainless action and CGI.

One solely for fans of poorly acted teen drama such as Twilight.

Watch if you liked: Jumper.