Review: Odd Thomas

Anton Yelchin stars as the title character, who has the ability to see dead people. He can also see vulture-like creatures called bodachs (invisible to everyone else), and wherever bodachs hover, death is on the horizon. Lately he’s been seeing them all over his small town, which means he’s got a helluva lot of work to do if he’s gonna save everybody from an impending disaster. Addison Timlin plays Odd’s supportive girlfriend Stormy, while Willem Dafoe plays the friendly chief of police.

 

Based on a novel (the first in a series) by horror writer Dean R. Koontz (whose “Intensity” made for an impressive mini-series), this 2014 film feels like a supernatural indie comedy-horror flick. Written and directed by the not very indie-friendly Stephen Sommers (“The Mummy”, “Deep Rising”, “The Jungle Book”, “Van Helsing”) it doesn’t quite come off (It was shot in 2011, and, well…there have been issues. Many. It’s a long story), but there’s definitely something here. I think my main problem with it is that the back-story of the title character, or the title character himself is far more interesting than the plot that he has been placed into here. I don’t know whether to blame Koontz or if Sommers has created the plot himself, but it’s all a bit ho-hum. In fact, it kinda feels like the pilot episode to a lukewarm supernaturally-charged TV series, more than anything (For some reason I was thinking of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, or at least the bland first few seasons before Willow decided she preferred the company of other girls and the show became much more dramatic and interesting).

 

At first I was hoping this would be kind of like “Scott Pilgrim’s Sixth Sense”, but it’s mildly diverting at best because the plot never really interested me. A lack of a strong, central villain also hampers the film. It also feels like it needs to be funnier, scarier, sexier…or something more than it is. Having said that, Addison Timlin…goddamn. The girl just oozes star quality in this, even if her role isn’t the greatest. She’s much better here in a supporting role, though than she was in the lead of “The Town That Dreaded Sundown”. I honestly think she’s a role or two away from stardom, and hopefully the future Mrs. Ryan McDonald. Lead Anton Yelchin is fine, if not terribly charismatic as the title character. Hilarious cameo by “Mummy” co-star Arnold Vosloo as a one-armed dead guy from Odd’s past. So random. The film definitely scores points for giving us an unusually sad ending, which I really admired. Also, the “Predator”-esque FX are quite interesting too, though CGI flames are appallingly rendered, which is a shame (The film ran into financial problems during filming, briefly. Maybe costs had to be cut here and there). That said, if you’re expecting a typically shitty, overly CGI Stephen Sommers film, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how light on the computer FX Sommers takes it here, in comparison to “The Mummy” or the even worse “Van Helsing”.

 

Moderately watchable supernatural oddity has some interesting ideas and creepy visuals. For a film that will remind you of a lot of other films (“The Frighteners” and “Ghostbusters”, for instance), it ultimately has its own thing going on. However, you keep waiting for it to get better, but it just keeps staying on a constant level of OK. I liked some of it, hated none of it, but I need a little more than just OK, I’m afraid.

 

Rating: C+