Credits Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Production companies DreamWorks Pictures Reliance Big Entertainment Bay Films
Screenplay by Alfred Gough Miles Millar Marti Noxon
Directed by D. J. Caruso
Produced by Michael Bay
Cinematography Guillermo Navarro
Edited by Vince Filippone Jim Page
Music by Trevor Rabin
Synopsis John Smith is an alien from the planet Lorien. He was sent to Earth as a child with eight others, collectively called the Garde, to escape the invading Mogadorians, who destroyed Lorien. John is protected by a guardian (who are known as Cêpan), Henri, and has developed powers, including enhanced strength, speed and agility. The Mogadorians, led by Commander Setrakus Ra, learn about the nine children and travel to Earth. The Garde can only be killed in sequence; Number One through Number Nine. Three of them are already dead, with John being Number Four. Knowing this, he and Henri move from a beachside bungalow in Florida to an old farm in Paradise, Ohio, where John befriends conspiracy theorist Sam Goode and a Beagle which he names Bernie Kosar. He also falls for an amateur photographer, Sarah Hart. Her ex-boyfriend, football player Mark James, is a bully who torments both John and Sam. During the Spring Scream Festival, Mark and his friends chase Sarah and John into the woods. When they attack, John uses his powers to fend them off and rescue Sarah. Sam witnesses this, which leads John to reveal his true origins. The next day, Mark's father, the local sheriff, interrogates Henri on John's whereabouts when his son and his friends were attacked. Henri tells John that too many people are suspicious and they have to leave. John refuses because of Sarah. John, Sarah, and Sam are attacked by the Mogadorians, who brought two Piken to hunt the trio. They are saved by Number Six and Bernie, who is actually a shapeshifting Chimera sent by John's biological parents to protect him. John and Number Six, who can turn invisible and can block energy attacks, continue to fight the Mogadorians. They eventually defeat them all, including Setrakus Ra. The following day, John and Number Six unite their blue rocks and discover the location of the other four surviving Garde. John lets Sam come with them in hopes of finding Sam's father. They set off to find the others so they can protect Earth from the Mogadorians, leaving Sarah and a repentant Mark, who lies to his father about John's whereabouts. Mark also returns a magic box left to John by his Dad, that was in police evidence. John thanks Mark and promises Sarah that he will come back to her. While they share a goodbye kiss, Mark is visibly resigned to their relationship. John, Sam, Bernie and Number Six drive off, vowing to protect Earth.
