Riding the wave of new young-adult literature, the first of a supposed six-book series was released on Aug. 3, 2010, and on Feb. 18, 2011, it was sent to the theatres. This popular book-turned-film is known only as the first few words mentioned in the trailer: ‘I Am Number Four.’

            This Dreamworks and Touchstone collaboration centers on aliens, a growing action subject next to vampires. It is about nine young alien children sent to Earth after their home planet Lorien is attacked by a race of what are known as Mogadorians. For their protection, they are each assigned a guardian and are separated upon reaching our planet. But they are being tracked by the Mogadorians who are intent on completely wiping out their race. A charm was placed on the nine so that they could only be killed in a select number order. Constantly running, constantly moving, the story focuses on fifteen-year-old John Smith (played by Alex Pettyfer, ‘Beastly’) who is number four in the line of the adolescent Loriens and who comes to the realization that the Mogadorians are now after him after his third scar appears, symbolizing that the first three are dead. However, time is running out for the Mogadorians, because as each Lorien child enters his/her teen years, they develop special powers, “legacies,” that can make them a lot harder to kill.

Now that the first three have been picked off, John and his protector Henri move to small town Paradise, Ohio, where John meets Sarah (played by Dianna Agron, ‘Glee’), the one girl who makes him wish he didn’t have to run.

            As always, the movie goes off the reservation at a point near the end, but what else was expected? Movies are rarely as good as the books they come from and ‘I Am Number Four’ is no different. Much of the back story has been left out, but most of the key scenes, while slightly altered, were included. Would it have been nice to include John’s memories of Lorien and his parents? Sure. But at one hour and fifty minutes, it was already pushing the attention span of the average viewer.

Personally I thought the movie was great, the concept, the effects, the storyline, as well as the potential for a new big franchise after Harry Potter is gone. The film was directed by D.J. Caruso and also stars Timothy Olyphant as Henri (‘Hitman,’ and TV’s ‘Justified’) and Teresa Palmer as Number Six (‘The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,’ and ‘Bedtime Stories’). It made almost $20 million on its opening weekend and came in second place in the box office, getting beat out by ‘Unknown.’  But considering its budget was only $60 million, that’s a good start.

            The book was written by Pittacus Lore, aka James Frey and Jobie Hughes and the sequel ‘The Power of Six’ will hit book stores on Aug. 30.