Hokum (2026) is written & directed by Damian McCarthy. It stars Adam Scott, Peter Coonan, David Wilmot, Florence Ordesh, Will O’Connell, Michael Patric, Brendan Conroy, Austin Amelio, Mallory Adams, Ezra Carlisle, and Sioux Carroll. The film follows Ohm Bauman (Scott), an American horror author, as he travels to the secluded Irish Inn where his deceased parents honeymooned. After painful memories of his childhood begin to resurface, tragedy strikes… Some time later, Ohm returns to the Inn in hopes of finding closure, but soon discovers that it may be home to a kind of evil that’s far more real than he ever could have imagined.

As Ohm, Adam Scott delivers what’s easily the best performance of his career, especially in terms of non-comedic characters. He effortlessly transitions between hateable and sympathetic, but it also helps that Ohm is so well-written. The script initially makes the viewer despise this character, but then slowly provides exposition to explain his behavior. He’s a miserable a-hole, but once you learn why, it’s tough not to empathize with him. You basically go from “This guy’s a dick” to “Oh, yeah. I get it now. Sorry, dude.” 

Ohm is yet another example of the ‘horror protagonist dealing with previous trauma’ trope, but he never comes across as cliché for a few key reasons. First off, the trauma of Ohm’s past is uniquely tragic. So many horror films that implement this trope often base the protagonist’s trauma on an experience that isn’t all that uncommon, such as simply losing a loved one – something that most humans have or will experience more than once in their lives. Yes, death is always a bit tragic, but it’s also inevitable. McCarthy understands that true tragedy often comes from things that could’ve been easily avoided – small, innocent mistakes that lead to unforeseen, devastating consequences. We’ve all experienced or will experience death multiple times in our lives, but very few of us will have an experience as horrible as Ohm’s. 

The supporting cast consists entirely of performers you probably haven’t seen before, but they all deliver strong performances nonetheless. Florence Odesh is strong as a likable hotel bartender with whom the protagonist forms a connection. However, the standout supporting character/performance is easily David Wilmot as Jerry, a local van-dwelling hippy who becomes a strong ally in Ohm’s quest to uncover the Inn’s dark secrets. Instead of simply presenting him as a silly, drug-using comedic relief character, the script gives Jerry layers of intelligence and bravery, allowing the audience to take him seriously. In parallel with Ohm, the viewer slowly begins to trust and respect Jerry as the situation becomes more dire, resulting in an extremely satisfying and unexpected arc. 

SPOILER ALERT

The only character I’m a bit mixed on is Mal, played by Peter Coonan, the Inn’s manager, and eventually, the story’s main human antagonist. Coonan plays the character as a normal, friendly guy who gives almost no hints about his dark side. There are no menacing looks or creepy lines of dialogue, just the eventual reveal that he isn’t who he says he is. The lack of hints makes the reveal as effective and horrifying as possible, but it does sacrifice his ability to be intimidating after the fact. In other words, the reveal is much more horrifying than the character himself, which feels like an odd disconnect. That being said, there’s something a tad authentically chilling about a murderer who acts the same way in his day-to-day life as he does when he’s brutally murdering innocent people. He may not work for a portion of the audience, but he’s definitely a unique take on a horror villain. There’s also the idea that, like the protagonist, his goals are driven by fear. Instead of being the source of the fear, he’s just another consequence of it. That may sound confusing, but you’ll know exactly what I mean if you’ve seen the film.

The film contains a fantastic balance of abstract psychological/supernatural scares and grounded, realistic horror. Whether you want a human killer or a creepy ghost/monster, you’ll most likely find yourself satisfied. McCarthy proves himself to be a prolific implementer of chilling horror imagery, constantly having something terrifying to fill the frame, even if it’s just inconsequential pieces of the Inn’s gothic design. Did I mention that this includes Jack the Donkey, one of the most terrifying horror characters in recent years? This character isn’t particularly integral to the film’s story, but it’s a great example of what McCarthy does so well here: He consistently makes otherwise familiar horror beats feel fresh by injecting them with a sense of unsettling visual flair. Humans can be scared by both ideas and images, but the most effective chills are created when the two work in tandem. 

This is also a film with heavy, layered themes of loss, forgiveness, and the decision to choose happiness over despair. There’s a lot to unpack, dwell on, and analyze, but it’s never so challenging that it feels like a mess. On the other hand, it’s also never so straightforward that there are easy answers. It strikes the perfect balance, which results in an experience ripe for the best kinds of debates and discussions. Some people might be frustrated by the elements intentionally left vague, but I strongly feel that answering those questions would’ve hurt the experience. Like all great horror films, we’re left with a sense that the evil could still be out there, which is arguably the scariest core concept the genre thrives upon. 

Overall, Hokum is perhaps the scariest, most engaging horror film I’ve seen since I started writing reviews. Fear may even be more subjective than humor, so the scares here may vary in their effect. That said, the film has a lot more to offer than just scares, so I expect that even those who consider themselves impervious to fear will find something in the experience. What most impresses me about the film, however, is its ability to use nearly every tool of the genre I thought were rung dry, and implement them in a way that feels elevated. In 2024, Damian McCarthy’s Oddity topped my list of 73 horror movies from that year. I predicted he would go on to make some great films. As it turns out, I was more correct than I ever could’ve imagined. This is top-tier horror, and I once again can’t wait to see what McCarthy does next. A-