User Reviews

Odd Thomas was a solid movie and it was indeed an enjoyable watch. I'm a pretty big fan of the Odd Thomas books. As with any novel turned into a movie there was much of the finer details left out and a few that were never there added in. I feel they did a fair job of capturing Odd's character. I do feel the chemistry between Odd and Stormy was a bit off. I'm not sure if this was due to the casting ,acting or direction. Or the fact that so much about her character was left out. But it felt more juvenile rather than deep love of your life love. I can't help but wonder if they had given it a slightly bigger budget and focused more on some of the other characters and their stories, it would have been a great movie, instead of merely a good one.

In the book we get a lot more ghostly communication between Odd and a very diverse and interesting collection of ghosts, including Elvis. I would have loved to see more of this in the movie, as I feel it really helps the viewer/reader understand the world of the dead and how it impacts the living world and Odd himself. One of the most interesting characters in the books is his strange friend Little Ozzie and his cat, Ozzie has 6 fingers on his left hand, writes detective novels and knows about Odds unusual powers as does the Sheriff. Of course Stormy is the only one who knows everything about Odd.

I gave Odd Thomas a 7 out 10 - It's a good solid movie and a fun watch. I'd love to see it made into a T.V. series. I think that way you could get the in-depth character development and plot lines you have in the books.

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

This is my first review i've done of a movie on IMDb, so maybe that alone shows how much I enjoyed this movie.

It was filled with action, adventure, romance, heart, even mild comedy when the character of Oz (Patton Oswalt) was introduced. This movie like most new movies is very fast paced, and witty with the word play and sarcastic tones that some characters had. The lead roles were chosen wonderfully. Anton Yelchin (Odd) in one of his maybe breakout rolls. I'd hope to see him play more lead roles very soon as he is a great actor, you can even tell by his large amount of upcoming movies in 2013 and 14. DaFoe was outstanding as he much always is, his character had bits and pieces it would seem from his role as the main Detective of The Boondock Saints. The supporting roles were great, and there's a twist at the end that caught me off guard.

Great movie!

Well I have read every book of Odd Thomas and I was worried about the movie adaptation , well I needn't of worried , it was fun great chemistry with the main actors , Willem Dafoe great as usual , the pacing was good , and the action scenes really good , OK so the ghost of Elvis is not in it , the sad thing is no cinema release that probably means no sequel and that's a damn shame as this was a great adaptation of Odd Thomas, I truly think this could have carried through a complete series of movies based on each book That said you never know the power of the fans , so fingers crossed there may be more Odd Thomas in the future

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.

I will start with a recommendation: "go watch it". This movie is definitely worth seeing. I did not red the book , and this movie truly surprised me. The movie unfolds very dynamically. It is not a slow paced movie for sure. The story is also very interesting containing just enough elements to surprise and entertain at the same time. The ending is also done very nicely. The effects are not the best ever seen , but sufficient. The acting was also very good. I admit some of the characters felt a bit dull , not really believable. In a nutshell , go watch it and be amazed how good a movie can turn out even if you never heard of it.

Anton Yelchin is a very likable performer and Odd Thomas cashes in on his screen personality in spades. Stephen Sommers, who's been away from the directors chair for way too long, pens a witty and fresh screenplay that zips along and keeps the audience thoroughly entertained every step of the way.

The one liners are spouted fast and furiously, the dialogue sparkles and there are plot twists and turns a plenty. The film defies being classified into any one genre. It's a little horror, a little fantasy, a little science fiction and a little mystery, none of it boring or expositional.

It's also great to see Dafoe doing a little mainstream fluff piece for a change. But just as you think you know exactly where this film is going, it surprises you yet again and takes a U-turn in another direction. I realise the target market here are probably teens, but I must confess that I loved it.

A very solid 7 out of 10.

Anton Yelchin (Charlie Bartlett) is back in another thriller following the the remake of 'Fright Night' in which he starred in 2011. Yelchin dawns the role of Odd Thomas in this film adaptation of Dean Koontz's book of the same name. Odd, is for lack of a better term, an odd guy. He keeps his life as simple as possible by not owning a vehicle and taking a menial job as a short order cook at a diner, but that is only to balance out the complications that come with seeing dead people. Odd uses his abilities to serve and protect as some sort of supernatural sheriff, but when a strange man enters his diner surrounded by an unnaturally large group of bodachs (ghostly predators who feed on pain and destruction), Odd realizes that his town is in serious danger.

Now I know what you are thinking, "another movie where the main character can see dead people, really?!" but let me assure that Anton Yelchin plays a much more badass clairvoyant than Haley Joel Osment. In the movie, Odd is a skilled fighter who walks towards danger when most people are running in the other direction. While I have not read the Dean Koontz book and cannot comment on whether this is an accurate adaptation, I can safely say it is an enjoyable movie. Yelchin's performance as Odd really shows how far he has come as an actor since 'Charlie Bartlett,' and leaves no question as to why he landed a role in the new Star Trek series.

A movie is not made good by one man alone, and even Odd has his own paranormal pit crew. Yelchin is joined by Addison Timlin (Stand Up Guys) who plays Stormy Llewellyn, Odd's way too hot for him girlfriend, and Police Chief Wyatt Porter who is played by Willem Dafoe. Police chief Porter and Stormy are the only two people in the movie that know Odd's secret, and they support him in his supernatural endeavors. This movie was a redeeming performance for Willem Dafoe, renewing some of my faith in his acting abilities that I lost after seeing the Spiderman franchise. Addison Timlin, a young actress with a reasonable amount of performances under her belt, plays a convincingly genuine girlfriend who leaves guys asking, "I don't have nearly as much baggage as Odd, where is my girl like her?!" 'Odd Thomas' is one of those rare gems that I have discussed in earlier reviews; one of those movies I probably would have never come across without a Netflix account. From the opening scene to the ending credits I was lost in a world where a guy spends his days helping ghosts and still has time to make a hell of a pancake. This movie has two acting up and comers and one veteran, and let's be honest, a strong story line adapted from a best selling book doesn't hurt.

This movie feels more like a pilot for some sort of supernatural horror series. The CGI is ok, Anton Yelcin is a good lead and the basic premise leaves just enough room for some entertaining 45 minutes and maybe a red thread story throughout the episodes of season 1 and 2. It probably would have been cancelled after season 3 because you can't repeat the same story forever.

As a stand-alone movie it was ok to watch on a Monday evening.

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 :-)

I watched the Odd Thomas film with optimistic enthusiasm, especially when I heard that Anton Yelchin would be portraying the clairvoyant fry cook from Peco Mundo.

Odd Thomas, as presented to us by Dean Koontz is an optimist living in the shadow of a cynical world. Throughout his narrative, Odd makes you laugh with one liners and his endless use of light sarcasm. While I did find positives with the Odd Thomas adaption, I also found it very milk toast and lacking the dread that Koontz presents in the first book. I also found the omission of certain characters took away from the stories strengths including his Mentor Ozzie Boone who merely a cameo and hardly the fore-mentioned. Instead of the influence, of being the 300 lb Mystery writer who urges Odd to keep the tone of his story light, he is an inconsequential character who appears and disappears.

The adaption of this book fell horrible short. Perhaps the answer would have been to make an HBO miniseries and it would have resulted in near the hatchet job that did adapting this to film.

Positives are Anton Yelchin who plays a very capable Odd, but that is where it ends. Even Willem Dafoe seems wooden and out of place.

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.

I have to admit, I discovered Dean Koontz late. A friend of mine gave me a few of his novels (Phantoms being one of them). I haven't read the Odd Thomas novels though). But I did watch this movie and I have to admit, I felt it was trying too hard to be cool. While it did achieve it at some points and has some very funny puns, it also feels detached from me as a viewer.

If every character has a quip, a funny line and always something witty to say, it doesn't feel like a movie to me. I want different characters with different trades. If they are the same in that respect, how can I differ between them? It's just not possible. If that doesn't bother you, go on ahead and enjoy a fun ride! Because that is what the movie eventually is

'Odd Thomas' follows the story of its titular character, a boy who can see dead people and uses his power to help catch murderers, as he has to stop an impending massacre that will soon happen in his small town.

A surprisingly good find this movie was. It has the feel of a dark teen action/adventure flick (apparently it is adapted from a teen novel, after all): not very serious, always with the quirky humor that kinda appeals to the nostalgic side of mine. It helps that the characters are not the irritating teen stereotypes most modern films tend to force upon the viewer, but rather likable and just enough witty to be believable. It never tries to be more than it really is; this is a fun, unpretentious film and it plays accordingly.

The movie develops its concept enough to make it work well, without glaring holes in the plot and always with a deceptively dark undertone; the CGI for the ghosts are good too. The plot moves along nicely while taking the more teen aspect of the characters in stride (ie.: the romance scenes between Odd and Stormy don't really break the flow). The twists are good: not overly predictable, but not nonsensical or asspulls either. They keep the story always interesting, and the final one in special is surprisingly emotional.

The cast is good. Anton Yelchin is likable and charismatic, Addison Timlin is adorable and has great chemistry with him, Willem Dafoe is good as usual, and the others are also above average. They never go for a pretentiously philosophical approach; they know this is just a fun teen flick, and thankfully act accordingly.

One surprise I had was seeing Stephen Sommers name in the director and screenplay credits. I've never once liked his popcorn flicks; maybe this could mean a turn for the better for him?

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!!!

My stats is based on the movie as whole. Great story and I like the solving part and great actors. But the ending.... wow! 10/10

Anton Yelchin is the oddly named Odd Thomas, a short order cook who has the sixth sense to see dead people and usually do something about it, like some kind of supernatural detective who can cook

A geek, freak and an oddball in the small town of Pico Mundo, his ability to see evil spirits which he calls bodachs to solve or prevent violent crimes with the help of his pretty girlfriend, Stormy Llewellyn (Addison Timlin) and the chief of police (Willem Dafoe.)

However he notices a swarm of bodachs infesting a stranger known as Fungus Bob and realises there is a conspiracy for mass slaughter which he needs to stop.

The film is directed and adapted from a novel by Dean Koontz by Stephen Sommers who hit pay-dirt with The Mummy franchise but this is a little going back to his roots with small scale quirky horror with some comic touches.

There is plenty of CGI here and there, some left turns and a climax to the action which is bit on the far fetched side especially with the truck scene.

Yelchin and Dafoe have a good rapport and Yelchin brings a lot of charisma to pull off an off beat geek like Odd. An actor who started in movies as a child, Odd Thomas is the kind of film that showcases his talents which will be sorely missed.

Did I watch a different movie? (Or are all the positive reviewers here only 13 years old?)

This movie is horrible! And not in a good way for a horror movie. It's just plain terrible.

Right from the off, I felt uncomfortable, knowing this was shaping up to be a corn-filled turd. And that was in the first five minutes! Right from the start, we are confronted by a ridiculous chase sequence, that goes on too long and then is just brushed under the carpet like nothing happened.

The actors seem to be struggling to act convincingly the entire time. I don't think this is their fault however. The script is so corny, and teen TV show orientated, even screen heavy-weights like Dafoe can't make it work. Some of the lines in this movie, wouldn't be out of place in an episode of Hannah Montana! Apparently everyone in this one horse town, speaks like "hip" teenagers. Even the police chief!

The visual effects are solid enough (with some low budget moments), but the real problem is atmosphere. This movie has none. The scenes are all so well lit, it's almost as if there is a lighting crew following Odd and his friends around the town! Which of course there is, but we aren't supposed to KNOW it! Even at night it's like daytime! This means there is no tension or fear, which the book was full of.

Long story short, this feels like a TV episode (and not a good breaking bad/game of thrones TV show, think more 90's TV). The actors tried their best, but there was no rescue from that script, and the whole affair was let down by total lack of atmosphere and pacing.

I would like to thank all the positive reviewers for wasting an afternoon my life! I won't be trusting IMDb reviews anymore.

This film stinks!

I've read a few of the "Odd Thomas" novels by Dean Koontz, but regrettably I have not kept myself up to date with this series. So, while I have the advantage of knowing the story behind the movie, as compared to those who haven't read the "Odd Thomas" novels, it has been some time since I've read them. With that in mind, I'm not about to go into any detail about whether the movie was faithful to the novel or not.

As far as the movie by itself, I really enjoyed Anton Yelchin's portrayal of Odd Thomas. Having enjoyed his performances in "Charlie Bartlett" and the remake of "Fright Night", I'm glad they chose him for this role.

The relationship between Odd Thomas and Stormy Llewellyn was ... ADORABLE! Seeing Odd in action at the Pico Mundo grill was as entertaining as any circus act. His naiveté around other women was cute.

The action of the movie kept me on the edge of my seat.

The parts of the movie that were meant to bring tears to your eyes, brought tears to mine. That is how involved with the characters I became.

I'm disappointed that the DVD has yet to see an American release. If and/or when it does get released, I encourage all those who are fans of Dean Koontz to purchase it -- vote with your wallet -- as this will put money in Dean's pocket and give you an opportunity to visualize what he has written in his novels on the big screen (your large screen television) as well as increase the probability of "Odd Thomas" sequels being produced in the future.

For me, this movie was well worth the time and I would gladly see it again.

Guys sees dead people and uses his skill to help people. Nice. I enjoy a little ghostly crime-solving. I didn't realize that this movie was based on a book when I started watching it, but it soon became pretty obvious. It held all the tell-tale signs: Narration. Weird dialogue. The feeling like you're walking into a bigger story than what's being shown in the movie. And that's fine. It was all just... fine.

On the subject of dialogue... it tried. So hard. It was almost a mix between those old black and white crime movies and that one Quirky Show where all the characters have clever mouths. But not in a good way. The actors did their best, but most of it still came across as forced and distracting.

Another way I judge movies is based on the romantic interest. Is the romantic interest a three-dimensional character, or can he or she be replaced with a cardboard cut-out with a voice recorder that repeats the same, basic, supportive phrases over and over again? This one leaned toward the latter. Stormy's most interesting trait was the fact that she was in love with Odd. She was almost completely defined by their relationship. Other traits include: works at an ice cream shop... has supermodel level good looks... and likes The Wizard of Oz?

Someone else's review said that it felt like the pilot of a TV show, and I completely agree. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I kept thinking, "It's okay--the show will get better a few episodes in, once the actors get a feel for their characters." But I guess we didn't get that. It's a shame. Probably would have been a great TV show.

On the other hand, I was very interested in the story itself. Solid plot twists. Unique enough to keep my attention. I'm going to go find the book now. So thanks for that, I guess. Here's hoping it did better in its original packaging.

The first half was fun -- lighthearted, not taking itself too seriously. The second half .... well, it devolved into action for explosion's sake, and the fantasy of the "good guy with a gun" being able to stop the "bad guy with a gun" (in this case, a vastly more powerful and faster gun).