"I Am Number Four" Steals a Million Little Pieces From Other, Better Superhero Flicks

Comments (0) By Nick Schager Thursday, Feb 17 2011

Conceived by author James Frey as the beginning of a potential blockbuster franchise, I Am Number Four is nothing but a million little pieces from prior superhero series and the Twilight saga.

What's that behind us? Oh good -- it's this film.
What's that behind us? Oh good -- it's this film.

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D.J. Caruso’s generic adventure, co-written by Frey under a pseudonym, concerns John Smith (Alex Pettyfer), a hunky blond teen who is actually an alien living life on the run—along with protector Henri (a wasted Timothy Olyphant)—from sharp-teethed, gill-nosed assassins intent on destroying him and his eight extraterrestrial brethren.

In forested Paradise, Ohio, lonely John combats jock bullies, befriends a UFO-obsessed nerd (Callan McAuliffe), and finds everlasting love with Sarah (Glee’s Dianna Agron)—a beautiful outsider who’s the angsty Bella to his brooding Edward—all while discovering how to harness the ill-defined powers that emanate from his glowstick hands.

The film is constructed with the blatant intent of wooing multiple demographics: comic-book moping and murky, CGI-addled combat for him; star-crossed romance (and a sequel-ready love triangle) for her; and a cute puppy for animal lovers too. Schematically amalgamating pop-culture tropes, I Am Number Four is a transparent mass-market product that, with its incessant close-ups of the iPhone, also doubles as an advertisement for others.

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kenny scott
kenny scott

wow! jumping on the bash james frey band-wagon.

Suppose that why as a writer he has been successful, and you..........well your not.

written any best sellers recently? any books made into films?

Slcdotcom
Slcdotcom

I love how you tried to be funny with the A Million Little Pieces title and it made no sense. Good stuff. James Frey is an amazing writer and if Oprah didn't tell you not to like him, you'd love his work too.

 
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