The Wasteland Reviewer

Hokum (2026) Written Review

Why is folk horror so powerful and terrifying? When you look at the culture of a group of people, there will always be strange and undesirable elements of their world view that will just sound crazy to someone on the outside. All types of dark entities exist from the perspective of different cultures and can be something quite terrifying. There are so many unique and strange entities across the world but some of them are universal enough that it terrifies them all. Case in point…witches. Wiccans, witchcraft, and dark magic all speak across many different cultures and belief systems. Witches exist in many cultures including Irish culture where they represent a danger to all who come across them. That is the anchoring lore in Damian Mc Carthy’s new horror film, Hokum. 

How does Mc Carthy incorporate this lore into the roots of this unnerving cinematic experience? Coming off the terrifying film, Oddity, many were excited to see how Mc Carthy would follow up on the eerie and unnerving mannequin. This time around, we are sent on a journey of closure and trauma with an obnoxiously rude and self-absorbed writer named Ohm Bauman. Mc Carthy leverages an interesting framing device to explore Ohm’s internal journey with the writing of his latest book about conquistadors. This story evolves as Ohm does with a horrific choice, changing the course of his life. He visits this eerie Irish inn to dispose of his parents’ ashes and gets sucked into a missing person’s case (a young woman who made an impact on him) and the legend of a witch trapped in the inn’s honeymoon suite. What Mc Carthy accomplishes is quite impressive as the film explores a “just a crime” vs “supernatural” debate and leverages both equally. Ohm is a complex yet interesting protagonist whose certain mindset makes him an ideal candidate to grapple with the dilemma. Mc Carthy’s script is filled with impressive details that add layers to the characters and this case. Our Irish filmmaker finds a few means of storytelling from carved figures and a video camera to bring this story to life. The film is a little unfocused and some beats feel a bit extraneous and undercooked. Some of the story structure might be a bit clunky but it still finds ways to expand this world. 

Does Mc Carthy capture the impressive horror of Oddity this time around? There are plenty of elements that excel in Hokum making it quite the scary experience. Jump scares are usually the laziest of all types of scares in horror films but Mc Carthy (and his editor Briand Philip Davis) have such a knack for building tension and suspense. This film is filled with killer scares that just might keep you on edge throughout the whole film. You can even see those scares coming but they still deliver with such powerful scares.  The imagery in the film is haunting, including a bunny man entity that is seldomly in the film but still scares the daylights out of you when he does. Colm Hogan, the cinematographer, delivers such a sharp, intentional, and striking visual experience. The production design of this hotel is incredible while vocalizing the eerie and haunted nature of this old and vintage inn. Pacing in the film is admittedly slow at times but that doesn’t stop these characters bouncing all around this twisted town (very quiet and totally spooky. Hokum is quite a cinematic experience that has a lot of moving pieces (and at times a few too many thematic threads) but you can tell that everyone involved brought a simple keyer of energy. 

How does the cast fit into this dark, twisted tale? Adam Scott is certainly the focus of the film, and he makes for a strong anchor to the film. He leverages his ability to be a sarcastic jerk to make Ohm quite the unlikeable character for the first act of the film. But there is always a layer of biting humor that Scott brings that makes the film work. His reaction to the escalating situations is relatable and engaging as well. Most importantly, he sells the emotional beats of the film as the film reaches its narrative and thematic climax. There are some other fun additions to the cast as well that fill out the experience. David Wilmot is Jerry, the weird man that lives in the woods, who has quite the interesting role in the film. Wilmot brings a strong balance of quirky comedic timing and empathy that makes Jerry the real standout supporting character in the film. Fiona is an essential piece to the film and Florence Ordesh brings so much to the table that makes us connect to her and care about her disappearance. There are not a lot of other significant roles in the film but the likes of Brendan Conroy, Will O’Connell, Michael Patric, and Peter Coonan deliver on their characters well. 

Does Mc Carthy have another successful Irish horror flick on his hands? Hokum is quite a powerful experience that delivers strong themes and impressive scares. Scott anchors this experience down as he navigates quite the unnerving and eerie Irish inn. There is a good sense of mystery and some truly shocking revelations that make the experience pop. The filmmaking that Mc Carthy brings to the table is quite impressive, making him one of the most exciting rising stars in horror today. Hokum has a lot going on but it is strong enough to deliver an impressive cinematic experience.