“Odd Thomas” Movie Review

Posted on February 9, 2014 by Fister Roboto in Films/Movies, Horror, Indie Films, Supernatural, Trailers // 5 Comments

Written & Directed by Stephen Sommers

Based on the Dean R. Koontz novel Odd Thomas

Starring: Anton Yelchin, Addison Timlin, Leonor Varela

Small-town fry cook Odd Thomas (Anton Yelchin) is an ordinary guy with a paranormal secret: he sees dead people, everywhere. When a creepy stranger shows-up with an entourage of ghostly bodachs – predators who feed on pain and portend mass destruction – Odd knows that his town is in serious trouble. Teaming up with his sweetheart Stormy (Addison Timlin) and the local sheriff (Willem Dafoe), Odd plunges into an epic battle of good vs evil to try to stop a disaster of apocalyptic proportions. Based on the best-selling thriller by Dean Koontz, Odd Thomas is a supernatural action thrill-ride from the acclaimed director of The Mummy and G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra.

Odd Thomas is an often times sarcastic short order cook with a host of very real supernatural powers. If you want a burger and a quick lead on a missing ghoul, Odd is your guy. If this were a Marvel movie, Odd would be a low-level thug that Spider-Man beat up without an afterthought. He does have his tricks though. Odd can read minds, or at least something like it, and he can see invisible beings that act as harbingers when devastation is close-by. Portraying the likable spaz is Anton Yelchin, who shifts seamlessly into his quirky role.

Sommers gives you the feeling he was confident with his choices. The film is loaded with supernatural coolness and runs like a graphic novel. The film’s narrative is my only gripe. It never felt anything other than forced to me. It’s an adaptation, I realize, so, there’s no need to make it a bigger deal than it is. The bulk of the film is a great time. It’s filled with monsters and all manner of weird. It’s the kind of show fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer or John Dies at the End might enjoy.

I admit this film had my jaded horror feelers up, but Sommers and Anton Yelchin went all in. The result is a charming, silly, warm, and free-range horror film with plenty of comedy. Odd Thomas is less odd than much of the stuff we’re already watching. Check it out in theaters February 28, 2014.

mistylayne // February 9, 2014 at 10:47 pm // Reply

I read this book long ago and really didn’t like it. It ended up being the last Dean Koontz book I ever read – it just seemed so unlike his other books and just wasn’t nearly as good. I hadn’t realized they’d made a movie out of it – sounds like the movie may be better than the book.

Victor De Leon // February 16, 2014 at 1:10 pm // Reply

Good review. I started this but couldn’t finish it for some reason. I still have the screener so I may give it another shot. I usually enjoy Sommers’ work. I never read the books though. Nice job!