An enjoyable teen rom-thriller that never swerves off the beaten path but always keeps its footing. Expect a franchise, and career boosts for Pettyfer and Agron.
With this much story crammed into two hours, I Am Number Four remains a lean, pacy and enjoyable adventure.
It’s a good hour before anything much of interest happens in DJ Caruso’s movie, when we embark on a helter-skelter climax of fights and chases, but this is too little, too late.
Its slavish adherence to formula is pitiful, but this patchy knock-off may do just enough to earn itself another go-round.
Silly, but occasionally entertaining.
By the end the producers are practically handing out tickets for the next instalment, but only the audience has the super power to grant that.
The end result is deadening and the decision to pad out the running time by setting up lots of sequel-ready narrative possibilities is horribly arrogant.
If you can make it through the bland schmaltz of the first half you'll be rewarded with a spectacular blast of sustained action and the promise of even better to come. This could be the start of something great.
The logic is dodgy, and the most frightening aspect is the sequel promised at the end.
General release. Check local listings for show times.
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