For fans of the Dean Koontz novels about a short-order cook that can see and assist ghosts in passing over, this adaptation from Stephen Sommers (The Mummy) will please immensely. Anton Yelchin stars as Odd, the resident weirdo of Pico Mundo. Odd follows a strange looking man, swarming with bodachs (creatures that only show up when people are about to die). Something terrible is about to happen in Pico Mundo, and with the help of his girlfriend, Stormy Llewellyn, and Willem Dafoe’s Chief Porter, Odd does his damned best to prevent disaster at the local shopping mall. Sticking closely to the events of the first book, Odd Thomas has an almost comic-book feel to it. On a few occasions, the relationship between Odd and Stormy is cringe-worthy, but if you can get past the fact that they fucking love each other to death, this is a wonderful and fun film that deserves a sequel with the same cast.
ADAM MILLARD
Director: Stephen Sommers
Writers: Stephen Sommers, Dean R. Koontz
Starring: Anton Yelchin, Ashley Sommers, Leonor Varela
Certificate: 15
Running time: 100 minutes
FrightFest Screening: 26 August 2013