I Am Number Four - Movie Review

I Am Number Four

Release date: Worldwide from 18th February 2011

My Rating: 4/5

My Book Review: I Am Number Four

This week, the film of I Am Number Four was released worldwide. I am a major fan of the book and I had very high expectations for the film, some of which were met, and others that were not.



I thought the casting was PERFECT for all the characters. While the acting may not be Oscar material, almost every character was how I had imagined. The casting of Alex Pettyfer as John/ Number Four was already known by the time the book went on sale so I already pictured Pettyfer as him. I thought Callan McAuliffeut was fantastic as Sam although my original thought was he looked a little young but as the film progressed he really fit into the role. Seeing Timothy Olyphant, playing Henri, with long hair threw me a bit at the beginning but all became right when it got chopped off about 10mins in.

As usual, the film did differ from how many scenes were played out in the book. At least three of the more major scenes (that I can remember at the moment) were changed and viewers without prior book knowledge would not have thought anything of it. But for me, my mind kept telling me that it wasn't supposed to be like that and so I found it a little difficult to view it objectively.

That said, one of my favourite scenes in the film wasn't even in the book. At the beginning of the book and movie, Henri and John have to leave Florida after almost being exposed. After they have left, Number Six shows up and burns their old house to the ground. As far as I remember (although I did the read the book back in June 2010 so my memory might be wrong) , this bit never happened in the book. It just looks awesome as Number Six, played by Teresa Palmer, walks away with this massive fireball behind her. Very cool, and she looks totally bad-ass.

Some other things...

**Some of the scenes with John and Sarah were a bit corny and had me wanting to groan, same with some of Number Six's lines.

**I wish there had been some more of Bernie Kosar. Best dog in the world.

**There were more special effects than I thought there would be but it was not to the detriment of the film.

**The Mogadorians. These guys were perhaps my least favourite part of the film. They were not at all like I imagined. Also, for the Dark Angel fans out there, did you notice that the Mogadorian Commander was played by Kevin Durand who played Joshua?!

Final thoughts?

**While I will watch the movie again, it will be more for the purpose of a 'quick fix'. As is usually the case, I pick the book over the film. The movie is definitely aimed at teens and I am unsure as to how many adults would actually describe it as anything more than 'a bit of fun'.

**Yay for the Aussies! Both Teresa Palmer and Callan McAuliffe are from Australia.

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

Title: I Am Number Four
Series: The Lorien Legacies Book 1
Author: Pittacus Lore

Release Date: 30th August 2010

My Rating: 4/5

Blurb:
Nine teenagers and their guardians are hiding on Earth … protected by a charm that means they can only be killed in numeric order, three are already dead. John Smith is Number Four. And his mortal enemies, the Mogadorians, are hunting him down.

The only way to keep off their radar is to keep moving, never staying in one place for long. Now in the firing line, all he can do is adopt the guise of a student and pray his unusual gifts, his legacies, stay hidden long enough for him to settle into this new community.

But others seem to sense his otherness and when small-town life sucks him into its intrigues, it’s only a matter of time before his true nature is revealed. And that means there’s no space for love, friendship or a future if it means protecting not only himself, but the other five as well...

My Review:
I was a bit hesitant at first when picking this up as my advanced readers copy did not have a blurb, only 'We were nine. Three are dead. I am number four'. Yes this was intriguing but when I went and had a look online, all I could find was that it was an alien sci-fi novel (in fact there is very little information about the book available online). Now aliens and outer space are not my thing. Firstly, I don't think I have ever seen a movie set in space or concerning aliens that I have really enjoyed, same goes for books, so I just don't bother looking at them any more. Yes I prejudge and yes I am sceptical but hey, that's me. Secondly, I can't get the image of a little green man with a big head out of my mind. Needless to say I wasn't highly enthusiastic about the prospect of diving into the book. But, a friend of mine who was reading it, said she was really enjoying it and that I should give it a go. So I did.

As I am sure you have guessed, based on my defensive ramblings (and my rating above), I loved I Am Number Four. First and foremost, it is not set in outer space, from the blurb you will see it is set on Earth, and the aliens are not little green men. Reminiscent of t.v. shows like Heroes, and Michael Grant's series Gone, I Am Number Four is about a group of teenagers, with unnatural abilities who live among normal people with their guardians, hiding from another alien race who want them dead. It is very well written, incredibly suspenseful and exciting. From the first page it is gripping and action-packed as we witness the demise of Number Three.

Our main characters, Henri and Number Four, also known as John, are very likeable and John's frustrations are so easy to relate to. While some of the characters such as Sarah, Sam and Mark are the typical supporting characters, they, and the story, are still somehow unique. I love the character of Sam, John's new best friend, and I think this might be because I have such a soft spot for the geeky but loyal side-kick type character he portrays.

The only thing that is stopping me from giving this book 10/10 is that there were certain reactions to events I found to be unbelievable. Sometimes, the way Henri reacts to the way John behaves is not how I image Henri should react. The same goes for some of Sarah, Sam and Mark's reactions. I'm sorry this is cryptic! As much as I would love to talk about certain things that happen within the pages, I refuse to post spoilers (but please feel free to email me).

This is one of those books that is getting a lot of pre-release hype online and already a movie adaptation is in the works, currently being filmed starring Alex Pettyfer as Number Four. The author Pittacus Lore, which is a pseudonym, is perhaps one of the worst kept secrets. Aside from the fact you will find a reference to the name Pittacus Lore inside the book, it is also the writing team of James Frey (best know for A Million Little Pieces), although he is yet to confirm or deny this, and newcomer Jobie Hughes.

I am so glad I finally picked up this book and am highly excited that there are to be six books in the series. As I have said in previous posts, the only downside to getting advanced readers copies is that I now have to wait even longer for the sequel to come out. Bring it on!

For another review, that explains the storyline in more detail, click here.