‘Number Four’ lacks a soul

It isn’t always obvious just how important casting is. Every second of “I Am Number Four” is a reminder that this could have been a somewhat acceptable movie if it only had a better cast.

The main problem is with Alex Pettyfer, who plays Number Four, also known (creatively) as John Smith. Pettyfer has the relentlessly good-looking face of a model or perhaps a soap actor but not of a major film star. His ability to read dialogue is as unremarkable and cold as his face. Nothing in his performance can be remembered 10 minutes after the movie ends.

And then there’s the actual story. A race of incredibly good-looking, yet bland aliens who happen to be exactly like humans but with superpowers, have fled to Earth for safety. The “aliens who look exactly like humans” thing was silly enough back in the “Star Trek” days, and now it’s just sad.

The film leaves the door to a sequel wide open, but I’m pretty confident we won’t have to bother with Number Five.