I Am Number Four, like much of what is hitting movie houses now and in the near future, is based off a young adult science fiction novel, written by Pittacus Lore, a pen name used by authors James Frey (the dude who pissed off Oprah) and Jobie Hughes. After a slight bidding war, DreamWorks won the rights to make the film and assigned D.J. Caruso (Eagle Eye) to direct the feature. I Am Number Four stars newcomer Alex Pettyfer (who is also starring in the upcoming film, Beastly, and is also rumored as a possible candidate for playing Peeta Mellark in The Hunger Games movie), Timothy Olyphant (The Crazies), Diana Agron (television’s Glee) and Teresa Palmer (The Sorcerer’s Apprentice).

I Am Number Four references the fourth alien out of nine interstellar refugees who fled their planet, Lorien, to hide on Earth. All nine resemble aliens, all have guardians who help them develop their superhuman powers and all are being hunted by some galactic baddies called Mogadorians. This Number Four, named John Smith (Pettyfer), is hiding out in Paradise, Ohio and falls in love with Sarah Hart (Agron), erstwhile waiting to defend himself from the Mogadorians who have him on the next-to-kill-list (apparently you can only kill these aliens in order, and numbers one through three have already been knocked off).

Check out the trailer after the jump. I’m not doing cartwheels to see this, which opens on February 18, 2011, but I wouldn’t be opposed to dropping $1 at the Redbox for this alien action flick. Pray tell, what are your thoughts?