Odd Thomas contre les créatures de l'ombre

Watched this with my 16 and 14 yr old sons last night and we all throughly enjoyed it, the 14yr old hid behind a pillow for quite a lot but really it was all standard 'turns around and ghost inches from your face' fare, the CGI was not budget - was really good actually and lots of it. The story was really engaging, acting was great from Odd and Stormy and great chemistry between them, you felt like they really were lovers. Nice plot twists, it's not going to be a blockbuster and win academy awards, almost as many plot holes as World World Z but it was much better than I expected, very enjoyable, no dull moments and this will be joining my DVD collection when it comes out for sure. The ending was very good...

It's pretty obvious there's a telly series (or string of follow-up movies) wanting to be made :-)

One of director Stephen Sommers' better films, "Odd Thomas" stars Anton Yelchin as Odd Thomas, a young man who is able to see and communicate with the dead. Structured as a detective movie, the film watches as Odd attempts to both solve crimes and prevent a horrific massacre.

"Odd Thomas" was based on a novel by super-hack Dean Koontz. Embodying all the endearing qualities of the author (a young hero who saves the day, an apocalyptic threat which only our hero knows of, likable small-towners, light comedy, super powers, romance, a dose of optimism etc) and quickly skipping over his unappealing ones, the film embraces its B movie roots. At times it recalls the teen oriented science fiction adventures of the 1980s. At other times, Sommers' direction is cringe-worthy; the pathetic attempts of a fifty year old man to dazzle young audiences born with ADD and raised by X-BOX.

"Odd Thomas" features Willem Dafoe in a small role. Addison Timlin co-stars as gratuitous eye-candy. Yelchin is good in the lead role, and makes for a far more interesting leading man than most actors.

7.5/10 - Worth one viewing.

Firstly, I am a huge Koontz fan and a huge Odd Thomas fan. I've been waiting years for this movie so my expectations were pretty high. I'm sure that figures into my analysis of the movie, as I have been largely let down by adaptations from novels in the past. That being said...

Overall, good movie, good adaptation. Moving a story from a book to a movie always presents problems; always there will be portions of the story and significant nuances left out. This is no exception. The casting of Odd was very good. Yelchin did a fantastic job capturing the strong albeit naive nature of Odd. I was skeptical about Timlin as Stormy, but she not only pulled it off but, in my mind, perfectly captured Stormy. I will no longer be able to think of Stormy without seeing her face. I wish we could have seen more interaction between Odd and Ozzie; in the books this is a very important relationship for Odd. Also, in the books, Ozzie is 350 or so pounds and Oswalt is considerably smaller. That being said, I think his size in the books is more of a testament to his larger-than-life character and less about his physical size, which I believe, given the chance, Oswalt would have perfectly captured. He is a largely underrated actor.

As for the story, it sticks to the book even though there are a few things left out. It would have been nice to know more of Odd's background but it would have unnecessarily stretched the movie out. Well told, with appropriate use of flashbacks, and good use (and not overuse) of narration, just as in the books. One thing I really enjoy about Odd Thomas books is the quick-paced, quick-whited dialogue. I've rarely read another author that could match Koontz in this aspect. This was transferred to the big screen very well.

As I said, I've been waiting for this movie for a while and whereas I wish they'd done it as an eight hour miniseries and captured every nuance of the book, this was a superb adaptation and an excellent movie. I really hope they make more because Odd's adventures keep getting better.

8 of 10

Refreshing blend of supernatural mystery and superhero movies. One review here I read seemed to think less of the movie because it didn't follow the familiar formula of an angst-ridden young hero with lots of problems; an emo kid who is hated by all and longs for a girl he can never have. The same old tired Spider-Man knock-off stuff, in other words. I, for one, enjoyed the freshness of this movie. Here we have a character who deals not only with having a supernatural gift but also deals with death daily. He sees things no one should see. In 99.9% of stories written about anything even in this ballpark, the lead character would be wracked with self-pity and guilt, would have no stable relationships, and would have no sense of humor unless it was dipped in bitterness. He would also seldom bathe.

By contrast, Odd Thomas is a likable popular guy with a beautiful, understanding girlfriend, a friendly relationship with a sympathetic police captain, and a healthy attitude about doing good things with his gift. Anton Yelchin as Odd and Addison Timlin as his girlfriend Stormy are perfectly cast. They have sparkling chemistry and the loving banter between the two of them is the movie's strongest point. Willem Dafoe plays slightly against type as the fatherly police captain but it's a great fit for him. The stunning Gugu Mbatha-Raw has a small but important role as a friend of Odd & Stormy's.

The writing is crisp with some fun dialogue. The characters are written and acted well. The movie moves at a good pace and never leaves you bored. My only criticisms would be some slightly obvious plot twists, especially where one villain is concerned, and a mildly dissatisfying ending. Still, it's an enjoyable movie with a little bit of action and effects that is driven by character. It's miles above any of the other young adult-oriented sci-fi/supernatural movies I've seen in recent years.

If you read Odd Thomas, which fortunately I did, you will hopefully find this movie quite truthful to the book which is really great. Superb job from the screen writers. Really, the characters are perfect in the movie and I think there would be no one better than Dafoe to play the Chief!

The book was a really fun read and the movie has exactly the same feel, too bad it's too short. I think books are the best because the thrill lasts longer but this movie is a go.

The rest of the acting is not Oscar material, but it is a very enjoyable movie and goes well with a soda and a bag of popcorn.

As for the end - get your tissues ready. Oh Lord, the humanityyyyyy!!!