HOKUM (2026)

Hokum feels like the culmination of the particular style of horror Damian McCarthy has been developing. Caveat established his talent for creating dread in confined spaces, and Oddity used that skill to build a terrific mystery. Hokum brings those ideas into another unfamiliar location, this time an isolated inn, and finds ways to make the atmosphere feel even more threatening.

I liked the setting immediately. The inn has a personality of its own, and the story surrounding a particular room gives the audience a reason to study every hallway and doorway. McCarthy understands that a location becomes frightening when you're never sure which details are ordinary and which ones matter. The movie uses that uncertainty very well.

Adam Scott is an interesting choice for the lead, and he gives the story a recognizable human center. His character isn't especially comfortable or sympathetic all the time, but that works for the material. There is a sense that his past is part of what draws him deeper into the mystery, and the performance helps sell the uneasy atmosphere.

The scares are effective because they build on what the audience expects. Sometimes you know the movie is setting up a frightening image, but waiting for it can be worse than the image itself. I like that McCarthy has confidence in those pauses. He doesn't need to fill every quiet moment with music or explanation.

The film also feels more ambitious visually than his earlier work. There are unsettling compositions and moments where the setting seems to turn against the characters. I appreciated that the direction remained recognizable while giving this story its own identity.

I don't think Hokum will win over people who dislike slow-burning supernatural horror. It wants the audience to sit with discomfort, and some of its imagery can be genuinely unpleasant. For me, though, the progression from McCarthy's earlier films is clear, and the scares are strong enough to reward that patience.

Hokum is a creepy, well-crafted nightmare that knows exactly how to use its location and mystery. I think it's another successful entry from a filmmaker who has a real talent for making quiet rooms feel dangerous.

Hokum was a frightening way to finish a week of Damian McCarthy movies. After Caveat and Oddity, I was already a little tired of being scared, and this one did not give me much relief. I took a big blanket to the theater, and I needed it. There were moments when I wanted to disappear underneath it rather than look at the screen.

I liked Adam Scott in the lead role. He's somebody I usually associate with very different kinds of movies, and it was interesting to see him in such a creepy story. His character goes to an isolated inn, and almost immediately I felt like he should leave. There are places that just look wrong, and this was one of them.

The inn itself was scary. Dark hallways, strange rooms and the feeling that something might be waiting nearby all made me nervous. I know these movies take their time, but McCarthy is good at making the quiet moments frightening. I'd be looking at an ordinary doorway and convincing myself there was something horrible on the other side.

Some of the images were really disturbing, and there were scenes I didn't want to watch. The movie kept me on edge because I couldn't always tell when something was about to happen. I would think it was safe to look, then a strange detail would catch my attention and I'd be worried all over again.

What I appreciated was that there was a story to follow. The main character has reasons for being at the inn, and the mystery surrounding the place gave me something to think about beyond the next scare. That made it easier to stay interested even when I was hiding behind my blanket.

I still don't know that I'd choose a week of movies like this again. Three extremely creepy films in a row is a lot for someone who already jumps at everything. But I can admit that the director knows how to make effective horror.

Hokum was scary, atmospheric and memorable. I might need to watch something cheerful afterward, but I thought it was worth seeing. I'd recommend it to people who like being frightened by a mystery that takes its time.