From Page to Screen: Odd Thomas

I was, for a time, quite a fan of Dean R. Koontz's Odd Thomas books. The stories, which focus on a wisecracking medium who's also a fry cook, are a fun -- and sometimes tragic -- series of supernatural adventures.

The first book is so good, and demanded to be turned into a feature film or TV pilot, as the character, and his adventures, are definitely franchise material.

Stephen Sommers, he who made The Mummy (1999), Van Helsing and G.I. Joe, directed a big-screen version of the first novel back in 2013... therefor ending any chance of more Odd Thomas movies. This was a case of hiring the wrong man for the job.

What Sommers did right: he cast Anton Yelchin as Odd Thomas. Tragically, Yelchin died a couple of years after this film was completed, but he did a good job as Odd, bringing the right combination of toughness (no one who sees the dead and fights evil can be a pushover) and quirkiness to the part. I liked his performance, and would've enjoyed watching him in the role again.

What Sommers did wrong: pretty much everything else. Now, if you've never read the book, you might enjoy this B-grade supernatural adventure as is. But, tonally, Sommers and his trademark whizz-bang sensibilities don't fit with the source material. That's the only way I can say it. The man who made The Mummy (which I love) wasn't the right choice. A director who could bring more mood, sadness and quirkiness to the tale was needed.

Another point of controversy for me was the casting of Addison Timlin as Odd's girlfriend, Stormy Llewellyn. I don't think Yelchin and Timlin had enough chemistry to believe they're destined to be together forever. And she's almost too hot to be the Stormy I saw in my mind. That being said, I couldn't take my eyes off her...

Ahem.

Anyway, Odd Thomas is a missed opportunity, and I have to give it a Bad. Maybe we'll get a Netflix TV series down the road.

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