This was a peculiar movie. Definitely did not fit the standard cliché "supernatural thriller" or "superhero" story. I really didn't know what to expect.
One thing none of the other reviews mentions is that there is definitely a cheesy teen novel feel to it all. Basically, the main character is likable from the first moment, by everybody, all the action goes into his favor, he has a supernatural gift that everybody seems to be okay with, and even the police chief seems to love him. He already has the girl of his dreams (boring). It has a certain infantile "everyday-hero" feel that is lacking the conflict in reality of how authority (ie the police) would find him nuts and his methods of dealing with these people he catches as vigilante. It all has a strong youth-oriented fantasy/make-believe feel. It seems like something a 13 year old boy could enjoy, but didn't feel very adult oriented. I find it bothersome, though, that it's just so easy for "Odd" to do his thing and succeed. It gives young viewers/readers the sense that life actually goes well/easily for those who do good and/or are weird. It's misleading to teens who are looking for some direction, that life is that easy. Life is hard. Being a hero is hard. Being accepted as different or 'freakish' is hard, in reality most people will scorn you as a freak for being different. Having an unusual ability is often a curse. Basically the total opposite of hero movies like the recent Batman trilogy. Either way, the hero's journey without the tribulation/struggle is not a full journey at all. But perhaps this movie was just trying to be a hip 'thriller' than some hero movie.
Everything worked out so well for "Odd" that it really didn't fit a typical hero story. You don't need to be an action movie to be a hero story. Any story with a 'good guy' trying to do something important (ie stop a mass slaughtering) is a hero story of some sort.
There was one scene that Odd was hauling a dead body of a 225lb+ man. I don't know if it was done deliberately, but it was laughable bad. The shape of the wrapped body (typical average build) was entirely different than that of the actual person (a heavyset guy). Blatantly a generic "dummy" inside. Then there is Odd's "super human strength" being able to pull this HEAVY dead body of a fat man over a ledge and then pick up the whole body with two hands, like it was a sack of potatoes. It was a really awful joke. But whatever.
Overall it was moderately enjoyable but I would not say remotely that it was something I'd see again. Not like something like Butterfly Effect or Sixth Sense. The corniness and total lack of conflict/struggle just rubs me the wrong way. After the movie I just don't feel like it's changed me in any way or that I've learned anything.
The twist ending is a bit unexpected given the otherwise corniness, but a bit cliché if you've seen enough psychological thrillers. A tragic twist to it all at the last second, just to yank on the viewers emotional nerves for effect I suppose. Not really any purpose on than to frustrate you with an ending you really did not want. If there is one formula it's following it's that a largely positive movie has to have at least one part to the ending that is tragic. I just found it annoying.
Whether it's true to the novel(s), I dunno. Its's definitely not what I expected, even not after reading the reviews. I thought it's worth warning other viewers, though, of it's peculiar beat. For those who don't have much tolerance for cheesy teen novels (Beautiful Creatures comes to mind), it might be worth passing on. But I'm sure there are those who love the stories and will love the movie.
One thing none of the other reviews mentions is that there is definitely a cheesy teen novel feel to it all. Basically, the main character is likable from the first moment, by everybody, all the action goes into his favor, he has a supernatural gift that everybody seems to be okay with, and even the police chief seems to love him. He already has the girl of his dreams (boring). It has a certain infantile "everyday-hero" feel that is lacking the conflict in reality of how authority (ie the police) would find him nuts and his methods of dealing with these people he catches as vigilante. It all has a strong youth-oriented fantasy/make-believe feel. It seems like something a 13 year old boy could enjoy, but didn't feel very adult oriented. I find it bothersome, though, that it's just so easy for "Odd" to do his thing and succeed. It gives young viewers/readers the sense that life actually goes well/easily for those who do good and/or are weird. It's misleading to teens who are looking for some direction, that life is that easy. Life is hard. Being a hero is hard. Being accepted as different or 'freakish' is hard, in reality most people will scorn you as a freak for being different. Having an unusual ability is often a curse. Basically the total opposite of hero movies like the recent Batman trilogy. Either way, the hero's journey without the tribulation/struggle is not a full journey at all. But perhaps this movie was just trying to be a hip 'thriller' than some hero movie.
Everything worked out so well for "Odd" that it really didn't fit a typical hero story. You don't need to be an action movie to be a hero story. Any story with a 'good guy' trying to do something important (ie stop a mass slaughtering) is a hero story of some sort.
There was one scene that Odd was hauling a dead body of a 225lb+ man. I don't know if it was done deliberately, but it was laughable bad. The shape of the wrapped body (typical average build) was entirely different than that of the actual person (a heavyset guy). Blatantly a generic "dummy" inside. Then there is Odd's "super human strength" being able to pull this HEAVY dead body of a fat man over a ledge and then pick up the whole body with two hands, like it was a sack of potatoes. It was a really awful joke. But whatever.
Overall it was moderately enjoyable but I would not say remotely that it was something I'd see again. Not like something like Butterfly Effect or Sixth Sense. The corniness and total lack of conflict/struggle just rubs me the wrong way. After the movie I just don't feel like it's changed me in any way or that I've learned anything.
The twist ending is a bit unexpected given the otherwise corniness, but a bit cliché if you've seen enough psychological thrillers. A tragic twist to it all at the last second, just to yank on the viewers emotional nerves for effect I suppose. Not really any purpose on than to frustrate you with an ending you really did not want. If there is one formula it's following it's that a largely positive movie has to have at least one part to the ending that is tragic. I just found it annoying.
Whether it's true to the novel(s), I dunno. Its's definitely not what I expected, even not after reading the reviews. I thought it's worth warning other viewers, though, of it's peculiar beat. For those who don't have much tolerance for cheesy teen novels (Beautiful Creatures comes to mind), it might be worth passing on. But I'm sure there are those who love the stories and will love the movie.