Home Video
[BD Review] ‘Odd Thomas’ Should Have Been a TV Pilot
Sometimes the movie is better than the book. Sometimes it isn’t. Odd Thomas, based on the Dean Koontz novel, attempts to transfer a seemingly interesting story from page to screen. Written and directed by Stephen Sommer, starring Anton Yelchin (Charley from the Fright Night remake) and Willem Dafoe, the movie, unfortunately, has a few things working against it.
The main distracting element of Odd Thomas is the excessive use of voiceover. Normally, this will work fine for a first person novel (which it originally is). This also works in small amounts in film. Where Odd Thomas fails is that the film more or less could be followed without the excessive narration. Yes, the original work has this point of view, but translating that to film simply works against a developing plot. There is no time to pay attention to what is happening on the screen when Odd is constantly talking. It makes it feel like less of a film, and more of an extended TV pilot.
The best I could equate the TV feel of Odd Thomas to would be (the short-lived) Reaper meets the Amazon Zombieland pilot. Even with the simplicity of the Odd character – yes, that’s his real name – being a short order cook who sees dead people, who has a girlfriend named Stormy Llewellyn, and a police chief friend played by Willem Dafoe – it just doesn’t have the weight (with these few likeable (enough) characters to continue week-to-week; it can barely hold just over 90 minutes. Nevertheless, I felt as though the villainous plot was simply a first “big bad” to set up continuation of the basic premise presented. I kept waiting for it to end and we could pick up the story next week. Interestingly enough, Odd Thomas IS a series. There are multiple books about the character and his shenanigans, but I simply do not believe there is potential there for it to be a celebrated TV program.
Odd Thomas has incredibly fun effects, though. Odd sees a plethora of bodachs – “predators who feed on pain and portend mass destruction” (think a supped up version of Gravelings from Dead Like Me having babies with Harry Potter’s Dementors) throughout the movie. Personally, I found these to be effective – and I am usually not a fan of excessive CGI use. Along with good effects, the acting on part of all actors was great.
Though the movie deviates from the norm, what we are left with is an interesting story with good effects, and acting that sadly becomes progressively boring due overly long-winded and annoying voice overs. It’s a shame they didn’t just make a pilot.
Home Video
Watch the Opening ‘Mortal Kombat II’ Battle Scene Now Ahead of Physical Media Release in July
Sequel Mortal Kombat II is now available to watch at home on Digital before heading to physical media in July, but you can test your might now and watch the opening scene.
Mortal Kombat director Simon McQuoid returns to the helm for the new sequel from a script by Jeremy Slater (“Moon Knight,” Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire).
In Mortal Kombat II, the fan-favorite champions — now joined by Johnny Cage (Karl Urban) — are pitted against one another in the ultimate, no-holds barred, gory battle to defeat the dark rule of Shao Kahn that threatens the very existence of the Earthrealm and its defenders.
Adeline Rudolph, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Ludi Lin, Mehcad Brooks, Tati Gabrielle, Lewis Tan, Damon Herriman, Chin Han, Tadanobu Asano, Joe Taslim, and Hiroyuki Sanada are also part of the ensemble cast of Mortal Kombat II fighters.
Watch the opening below, which introduces a young Kitana (Sophia Xu) as Emperor Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford) prepares to conquer her father, King Jerrod (Desmond Chiam), and her kingdom of Edenia. It sets the sequel’s entire plot in motion.
From New Line Cinema, James Wan’s Atomic Monster, Broken Road Productions, and Fireside Films, Mortal Kombat II is rated R for “strong bloody violence and gore, and language.”
Look for Mortal Kombat II to arrive on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD on July 28, 2026.
The physical media release contains the following special features, as unveiled by IGN:
- Mortal Kombat II: Evolving the Saga (Featurette)
- Returning characters, new alliances and even bigger fatalities! Go behind the scenes to learn all that went into creating the latest chapter in the Mortal Kombat film saga and how the sequel expands the universe to bolder, bloodier heights.
- Building the Realms of Mortal Kombat (Featurette)
- From the decaying streets of Edenia to the terrifying Pit featured in the iconic video game series, discover how the Mortal Kombat II design teams blended practical sets with groundbreaking VFX to create the legendary realms in the film.
- Mortal Kombat II: Choose Your Fighter (Featurette)
- Awaken your Arcana as you meet the cast and explore the brutal weapons, epic costumes and fierce training that went into bringing their characters to life.
- Klose Quarters Kombat (Featurette)
- Cast members and key creatives share insights into how the stunt preparation, intense fight scenes and weapons training shaped both classic moves and new, merciless combat styles.
- A “Boon” to Gamers Everywhere (Featurette)
- Sit down with chief Mortal Kombat mythmaker and creator Ed Boon for a deep dive into the franchise’s storied history and ongoing evolution that spans three decades of near-infinite games, films and comics, culminating with the live-action sequel.