A teenage girl is kidnapped by an overweight pizza deliveryman, who fantasizes about taking a cheerleader to the prom, and who has killed a series of young women; her family ultimately seeks revenge.

CRITIQUE

Otis is one of the most-twisted movies I have seen in a while, a black comedy that explores some fairly dark places.  The result isn’t for everyone; this is often disturbing and tasteless, and there are a few bits here that I had problems watching.  Still, it’s an off-center, unpredictable take on an interesting story, and if you are into this kind of movie, there are things here that works very well.

Otis (played well by newcomer Bostin Christopher) is a hulking, overweight 40-year-old pizza deliveryman, and the filmmakers do a disturbingly-good job sort of making him sympathetic.  Even though he is kidnapping and torturing girls, his motives are so clear (he’s an immature, lonely man who is obviously trying to fulfill a teen fantasy about the prom) that though his actions are completely repellent, they are also understandable. 

His latest victim is Riley (Ashley Johnson), a pretty teen he snatches off the street, and her trying to stay alive helps give the story a spine early, with screenwriters Thomas Schnauz and Eric Jendresen have a good feel for the elaborate teen fantasies that Otis puts her through.  The tale takes an odd twist in the middle; not to give too much away, but Riley’s parents (Daniel Stern and Ileana Douglas) and her younger brother get involved in seeking revenge against Otis, and then things start getting even darker.

Not everything here works; the film tries to have a little too much satirical fun with the specter of twisted FBI profiler Hotchkiss (Jere Burns) and a lot of wildly-inappropriate comments that he makes, but too often this feels a little too forced and over-the-top, and many of the scenes with him drag.  The ending also could have been a lot sharper; there is a major logic flaw in the final scene, and the climax isn’t quite as satisfying as it could have been.

Still, director Tony Krantz shows a largely-sure hand throughout, and much of this works surprisingly-well given the subject matter.  The result leaves one alternately entertained and appalled, but it’s a movie that will stick with you.

THE VIDEO

Otis is presented in widescreen.  The picture quality is good throughout.

THE AUDIO

Otis is presented in English 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround, and Spanish Dolby Surround Stereo.  Dialogue, music and sound effects come through clear.  There are English, French and Spanish subtitles.

THE EXTRAS

There is a Commentary featuring director Tony Krantz and co-writer Erik Jendresen, which is chatty and amiable enough, though a little slight at times.

The Twisted World of Otis is a 12-minute featurette, in which the filmmakers and the actors talk about the movie, the tone and the filming.

There’s a 5-minute Alternate Ending, that they decided not to use before filming, but filmed anyway just to put it on the DVD.  It doesn’t really work, but it’s interesting.

There’s the full 3-minute version of Suite 16, a film that Otis shows during the movie, basically clips of his screaming victims edited together to make it sound like they are saying nice things to him.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Not for all tastes, but if you have a taste for twisted dark comedies, there’s a lot to like here.