Odd Thomas (2014)

Dir: Stephen Sommers

Short order cook Odd Thomas (Anton Yelchin BURYING THE EX) is, well, odd. He has a number of paranormal powers such as the ability to see the dead and psychic radar that leads him to specific locations in his hometown of Pico Mundo where something of import is going to happen or to a person he wants to find. Fearing the reaction of others if they were aware of his abilities, and not wanting to end up like his mother locked up in the loony bin, who may have had the same talents, he doesn't easily let others know what he can see and feel.

Odd trusts Chief Wyatt Porter (William Dafoe) enough to feed him information about solving crimes. The dead, who have been wronged in some way, seek out Odd and wordlessly lead him to the wrong doer that caused the death. The Chief isn't quite sure how Odd is able to pinpoint rapists and killers but as Odd has an impeccable track record they work together to massage the evidence so that it doesn't point to coming from Odd's ability to speak with ghosts.

Odd and Stormy

The love of Odd's life, and the one he trusts above all else, is Stormy (Addison Timlin THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN). Odd knows that they are destined to be together for all time because a mechanical fortune teller at an arcade told him so.

Odd's special sight allows him to see the phantasmagorical creatures called bodachs. Bodachs are attracted to the pain, misery and death of humans. When a strange looking and acting man shows up at the diner where Odd works surrounded by a swarm of bodachs, Odd knows that a great disaster is about to strike Pico Mundo. Odd puts to use his psychic and investigative abilities to delve into what is coming.

Based on a novel by Dean Koontz, writer-director Stephen (THE MUMMY 1999) Sommers' ODD THOMAS is a quirky film that weaves comedy, tension, action, romance and horror together masterfully. Despite Odd's abilities I found the world of the film to be believable, characters not in the know react as expected. There's chemistry between Odd and Stormy; their verbal back and forth sounding like an update of the screwball comedy banter. The CGI bodachs look good and are scary. The acting is well done. Direction is visually exciting without being overwhelming or distracting.

The film ends with a setup for a sequel. If one is made I'll watch.

*** 1/2 out of ****