‘Hokum' Review: Damian McCarthy Does It Again With Adam Scott-Led Thriller
In a world where studios are scooping up any indie horror film darling and forcing them into the world of IP, Irish director Damian McCarthy has chosen to focus on original ideas. His first film, “Caveat,” came out in 2020 and was met with widespread critical acclaim.
He got introduced to more audiences with 2024’s “Oddity,” which holds a 96% on Rotten Tomatoes. It didn’t take him long to get his next project off the ground, as this year’s “Hokum” was released less than two years after “Oddity.” The Adam Scott-led horror film has already been McCarthy’s biggest box office hit, but how does it hold up compared to his other films?
Spoilers Below…
‘Hokum’ Is More of the Same, but That’s Not a Bad Thing
“Hokum” is about renowned writer Ohm Bauman (Scott) traveling to Ireland to spread his parents’ ashes in the forest near the hotel where they honeymooned. Bauman is cantankerous and rude to the workers at the hotel, but does become friendly with a bartender named Fiona (Florence Ordesh).
He’s warned that the Honeymoon Suite is not open to anybody and only ownership is allowed access to the key. When Fiona goes missing, Bauman takes it upon himself to break into the Honeymoon Suite to see if he can find her.
Scott isn’t given too much to do as Bauman. The character is mostly pissy throughout the movie, and that never really changes. That said, it works for “Hokum.” The film feels like it’s inspired by horror video games like “Alan Wake,” “Silent Hill” and “Amnesia.” This is a compliment. We have a man wearing a jacket who is looking for a girl and has to unravel a mystery and solve puzzles along the way. The fact that Scott’s character feels so one-note feeds into this idea.
“Hokum” is easily one of the best horror movies of the year so far. McCarthy has become one of the masters of horror set pieces in just a short time. He’s one of the few filmmakers who can still put together a clever jump scare. The movie doesn’t have many locations, but it moves really fast and never grows stale.
The underlying mystery is compelling, and the way that the story unfolds is consistently engaging. However, the most important aspect of a horror movie is going to be its scares, and “Hokum” delivers.
The only thing that isn’t necessarily a criticism, but did stand out, is that the film is very similar to “Oddity” and “Caveat” in some ways. All of McCarthy’s movies have been about a person in a creepy location that might or might not be haunted, and the story gets more complicated from there. Now, all three of those films are very good, but it might be time for him to branch out and try to tell a different type of story.
That said, “Hokum” is a really fun time. McCarthy does a great job of telling a serious story that still manages to feel like a fun popcorn horror film.
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This story was originally published May 5, 2026 at 5:47 PM.