Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		4.0

Odd Thomas Blu-ray Movie Review

Oddly Familiar, but Fun Nonetheless

Reviewed by Michael Reuben March 13, 2014

Odd Thomas is an independent fantasy film with big budget aspirations. It is based on the first of a successful series of books by horror and sci-fi author Dean Koontz, who told attendees at 2008's Comic-Con that he was delighted with the script by writer/director Stephen Sommers (the Mummy trilogy and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra). Unfortunately, the film fell victim to the uncertainties of independent financing. Production was delayed for lack of funds, and the release date had to be pushed back due to litigation among the financing partners over costs of prints and advertising. When Odd Thomas finally saw U.S. theater screens on February 28, 2014, the release was limited and the advertising was nil. Critical reaction was poor, but in today's market the critics' opinion of a fantasy film hardly matters. Availability and fan awareness are enough to draw an audience, especially with an established brand, but Odd Thomas' distribution was so weak that Box Office Mojo doesn't even list it. The fans will have to experience it on this first-rate, though featureless, Blu-ray from RLJ/Image Entertainment.

His first name really is "Odd", and he's played by Anton Yelchin, who is best known as navigator Pavel Chekov in J.J. Abrams' reboot of the Star Trek franchise. Odd works as a short order cook in the small California town of Pico Mundo, where he tries to keep a low profile so that he doesn't suffer his mother's fate. Odd's mother (Leonor Varela) was confined to a mental institution because she wouldn't keep silent about her visions. Odd has inherited his mother's ability, but neither of them is schizophrenic. They're both possessed of psychic powers, and Odd's are especially distinctive. The souls of victims who have died by violence seek him out, and although they cannot speak, they direct Odd to their killer so that he can bring them to justice. Author Koontz, who is nothing if not sophisticated about popular culture, anticipated the obvious comparison to The Sixth Sense by having Odd quote it himself: "I may see dead people", he says, "but then, by God, I do something about it."

Odd is assisted in his psychic detective work by the local chief of police, Wyatt Porter, who is played with cheerful sang-froid by Willem Dafoe, cast against type as a normal guy who has learned to trust Odd's insights but doesn't want to know how he comes by them. The chief arranges cover stories for Odd and bails him out of trouble whenever he needs it. The one person who truly understands Odd is his sweetheart, Stormy Llewellyn (Addison Timlin, Best Man Down), who is unfazed (and rather turned on) by her boyfriend's unusual powers. When Stormy isn't working at the ice cream parlor in the local mall, she and Odd banter like a Gen Y version of Nick and Nora Charles.

Odd's powers include the ability to see demonic creatures known as "bodachs" (a Scottish term for "bogeyman"). In their CGI rendering, bodachs may remind some viewers of the "gravelings" that played a key role in the Bryan Fuller-created Showtime series Dead Like Me, except that gravelings initiated deadly events, whereas bodachs merely show up when something terrible is about to occur so that they can feed off the fear and horror. When Odd see bodachs in Pico Mundo, he knows something bad is coming. He begins to see them in unprecedented numbers when an unfamiliar customer comes into his coffee shop one day. Odd dubs him "Fungus Bob", because of his bizarrely died hair and seedy appearance. (Bob is played by Broadway star Shuler Henlsey, who was the monster in the Mel Brooks's musical adaptation of Young Frankenstein and at times seems to be channeling Boris Karloff in his performance as Fungus Bob.) Besides an influx of bodachs, the appearance of Fungus Bob inspires dreams of a massacre. Odd is now convinced that Pico Mundo is headed for some sort of apocalypse.

Odd's investigation of Fungus Bob leads him to all sorts of unexpected places, including the dreams of Stormy's co-worker, Viola (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), who seems to have her own touch of clairvoyance. Odd tracks Bob to a truly disgusting cabin outside town, where the bodachs seem to be massing, but what exactly is Bob planning? Sommers throws out a lot of seemingly obvious clues that turn out to be equally red herrings, as Odd keeps following leads that bring him no closer to the truth but provide ample opportunity for gross-out humor, much of it involving large bugs.

Yelchin is ideal casting for Odd, because he plays the part with sincerity, which also means that his Odd is conscious of just how bizarre his existence really is. Timlin's Stormy is thoroughly charming, providing an essential balance and keeping her man connected to the human world. One gets the sense that, while she's fascinated by what Odd sees, she's just as glad she doesn't have to see it herself (which makes sense in scenes where bodachs swirl all around them). Timlin is an engaging actress, and she makes Stormy the movie's beating heart.

Odd Thomas Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

For Odd Thomas, director Sommers re-teamed with Mitchell Amundsen, his director of photography on G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. Amundsen shot the film with Red cameras outfitted with anamorphic lenses, which softened the digital image for a more film-like texture. Post-production was completed on a digital intermediate, which no doubt facilitated the integration of the many digital effects. RLJ/Image's 1080p, AVC-encoded Blu-ray was probably sourced from digital files. The Blu-ray image is clean, noiseless and detailed, with a precisely calibrated color palette that carefully distinguishes Odd's warmly natural world from the synthetic tones of the mall and nearby bowling alley where much of Pico Mundo's social life is conducted. The ice cream parlor where Stormy works is especially notable for its artificial pastels, which may be intended to suggest the artificial flavorings of its product. The festering interiors of Fungus Bob's house are various shades of brown and gray, and the shadow detail is so good that you can make out everything you wish you couldn't (this guy never cleans). Sommers has enough experience with digital effects to know how to shoot so that the CGI integrates smoothly, and Yelchin is skillful at playing against entities that weren't there when he filmed his scenes.

At an average bitrate of 24.98, Odd Thomas falls within the range that major studios find acceptable for big action films, which is certainly consistent with the demands of Sommers' CGI-laden set pieces. Red footage compresses well, and artifacts were not in evidence.

Odd Thomas Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Odd Thomas's 5.1 soundtrack is aggressive, immersive and powerful, but it is also difficult to describe in detail without revealing important story points. A recurring element is the ever-present bodachs, who threaten and swirl throughout the town of Pico Mundo, unheard and unseen by everyone except Odd (and, of course, us). Several scenes in which hordes of them go rushing in or out of what appears to be a gateway to hell are particularly impressive. An aggressive pursuit of Odd and Stormy by Fungus Bob, during which the couple takes refuge in a church and Fungus Bob pounds, hammers and throws himself against doors and windows trying to get in, has sharp impact and powerful reverberations. Gunshots, both in dreams and real life, register forcefully, and a pair of Rottweilers bark and growl just as forcefully.

Odd's voiceover narration floats just above and in front of the center channel, while the dialogue remains firmly centered. The score by John Swihart (For a Good Time, Call...) captures the right mixture of thriller urgency and youthful romance.

Odd Thomas Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The disc has no extras. At startup, the disc plays trailers for The Numbers Station and The Adventurer: The Curse of the Midas Box, which can be skipped with the chapter forward button and are not otherwise available once the disc loads.

Although this is not technically an extra, it is worth noting that the original pressing of Odd Thomas comes with a lenticular slip cover that alternately depicts Odd alone and surrounded by bodachs. Collectors, take note.

Odd Thomas Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The conclusion of Odd Thomas leaves an obvious opening for a sequel, but it seems unlikely that one will be made, given the film's weak reception. That is all the more reason for fans of the series, or just those who are curious, to experience the film now while it is still fresh. The performances are lively, the effects are professional, and the Blu-ray's image and sound are superior. Despite the lack of extras, recommended.