Damian McCarthy threw aces with his first two films. Caveat (2020) and Oddity (2024) became two of my favorite horror movies after a single viewing of each. I loved the style and lingering dread each brough to the table. I was excited when McCarthy’s latest effort “Hokum” was set to drop in May of 2026.
It has the same horror tag as its predecessors, specifically running the gauntlet of Gothic supernatural. Like Caveat and Oddity, McCarthy serves as writer and director. The film made its debut at this year’s South by Southwest Film & TV Festival.
“Hokum” has good scares throughout. Even its jump moments are effective and organic. A viewer can easily spot the influences McCarthy has drawn from other horror works, specifically IT, The Shining, and his own previous works referenced above.
Hokum
Ohm Bauman (Adam Scott) is a writer, a drinker, and an overall snobbish jerk. The character has a rich history, and the small reveals sprinkled throughout the movie are a nice touch.
Ohm travels to Ireland for personal reasons unnecessary to reveal here. He stays at The Bilberry Woods Hotel, a secluded ancient fortress one would expect to find in the ole Irish countryside. Ohm finds a section of the hotel that’s barricaded to the public.
The staff; desk clerk Mal (Peter Coonan), groundskeeper Fergal (Michael Patric), bartender Fiona (Florence Ordesh) and bellhop Alby (Will O’Connell) claim the isolated section is haunted by a witch. The plot eventually lands Ohm in said haunted area, and presto! We’ve got a film.
Characters
Damian McCarthy has used lesser-known actors in his two previous pictures to great benefit. He’s able to draw the best out of his talent to successfully tell the tale. Adam Scott is easily the biggest name he has worked with to date, and while seemingly an odd choice at first, Scott proves us wrong with a strong performance.
Ohm Bauman is a regular human in terms of physical appearance (or lack thereof). He’s a successful writer and as such, has a snarky edge that he brandishes several times. It’s believable coming from Adam Scott. We both hate and love the character.
The supporting cast is equally effective. Florence Ordesh is great playing Fiona, someone quick to stop Ohm’s rudeness. I also liked the performance of David Wilmot who plays Jerry, an odd fellow and moonshine drinker who lives in the woods that surround the hotel.
Damian McCarthy
The past decade saw the emergence of artistic horror movies. Filmmakers like Ari Aster, David Robert Mitchell and Robert Eggers lead the charge with beautifully crafted and super scary vessels of cinema.
Damian McCarthy joins the lot as a master of atmosphere. We again return to the rural Irish countryside as seen in “Oddity.” The seclusion of Ohm amidst the haunted hotel is akin to Isaac’s troubles in “Caveat.”
He again includes natural creepy things (Caveat saw the rabbit, Oddity the golem). “Hokum” features several statues that are unsettling just to look at, and an automated figure that rings an hourly bell. Its artistic when it needs to be. And simply scary when called upon.
“Hokum” feels a bit more Hollywood than Damian McCarthy’s first two films. A few more jump scares, a bit too much score at times. But it doesn’t detract from an excellent movie and perfect theatre going experience. I will certainly be watching it again this coming October. The filmmaker is now 3 for 3, and I’m excited to see what’s in store next.
1 Comment
Oddity was a good one. Very unique and loved the lore in that. Hyped for this too.Also the statue reminds me of those Weeping Angels from Dr Who (but tinier)😆😅