Odd Thomas is a fast-paced, supernatural thriller that keeps the audience interested at all times and tells a brilliant story clearly depicting the talented, abstract mind of renowned author Dean Koontz. The characters are multidimensional and very likeable and the special effects are fantastic! However, as I mentioned before, the plot moves along very quickly, perhaps a little too quick for its own good.
Keep in mind that this is Dean Koontz we are talking about so the plot is very complex. Nonetheless, I will try my best to describe the story line as best as I can. So our main character is Odd Thomas (Anton Yelchin) and he has a really special gift: he can see dead people. Besides that, he can also see supernatural creatures known as bodaks. These beings are attracted to evil and thus whenever Odd sees any bodaks around a person or a place, he knows that something bad is going to happen. Odd is very close with a woman named Stormy (Addison Timlin) who knows about Odd's special powers. In the first scene of the movie, Odd chases down Harlo Landerson (Matthew Page) who had murdered a girl named Penny (Ashley Sommers). He beats the guy up and it is now that we meet Chief Wyatt Porter (Willem Dafoe) who is also aware of Odd's powers and covers him up whenever Odd helps him bust somebody. One day, Odd notices an enormous amount of bodaks swarming around a man named Bob Robertson (Shuler Hensley). Thus, he investigates Bob and Odd finds out that something really bad is going to happen on August 15th (the movie starts on August 14th). However, when Bob turns up dead, Odd realizes what's going to happen is much more complex than what he first thought and there are more people involved. Now the race is on to solve the mystery of who's planning to kill people and where before it is too late.
There are many positive aspects about this movie, number one being the plot. Dean Koontz is an excellent storyteller, much like Stephen King. This movie doesn't stray from anything Koontz is best known for. The story is complex, multidimensional, entertaining, and very well-written. There are so many twists and pieces that come together at different times. Just when Odd thinks he has figured it all out, he realizes there is something else that he missed. Even when it looks like the punchline to the whole story is revealed too early, there is even more to it; pieces just keep getting added on to the puzzle until the very end. One person after another keep popping up to fit into the disaster that takes place. It is surely a product of excellent storytelling by Koontz and excellent writing on the part of Stephen Sommers. Now, there are two problems with this setup. Number one, because the plot is so complex, it can be hard to follow at times. Nevertheless, Odd himself does a lot of narrating and in my opinion he does a good job of clearing up any confusion by clearly explaining everything that is going on. So I think that problem is solved. Number two, because the movie is fast-paced, you might feel like you get to the punchline way too early. Honestly, that's how I felt. It was like I had just started watching the movie and already I knew exactly what was going to go down and why. However, as I said before, pieces keep getting added on to the puzzle until the very end so that once again makes up for this. Truly brilliant writing!
Another great thing about this film is the characters. They are very likeable and very multidimensional. Odd is strange but he represents a true hero. He has a fantastic gift and uses it to fight evil. He is brave, courageous, compassionate, and highly intelligent. He has all the characteristics of a hero and he is truly admirable because most people with his gift might not embrace it the way he does. But Odd is selfless, he puts his own life at risk to save others. Stormy is also an enjoyable character and her relationship with Odd is truly enchanting. Her nonjudgmental personality is shown in the sense that she believes in Odd's powers and she accepts him for who he is. Her character is thus very admirable and what her and Odd have is beautiful. Same goes for the chief who also knows about and believes in Odd's powers. Then you have the evil characters who I shall not name as I don't want to give away too much, but they are truly bad and disgusting people with no admirable qualities whatsoever. That makes this movie a battle between good and evil essentially and it was honestly a great thing!
The special effects were amazing! The bodaks especially were done very well. Their appearance is pretty frightening and threatening and their way of entering and leaving this world (through the gates of hell basically) is dramatic and frightening as well. The supernatural spirits were done exceptionally well too. The bad souls (like that of Bob Robertson) were threatening and the good souls were appealing and scenes with all of these supernatural beings were suspenseful, visual, and even scary at times! Even though this movie isn't necessarily scary, suspenseful and tension-filled moments are paramount and keep you on the edge of your seat through the whole film. There is not a single moment where something isn't happening.
BaD BiRdS: EXCELLENT FILM!!!
~MJ Aufiero
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