I had the opportunity to watch Hokum at Overlook Film Festival in a packed theater amongst friends. I had no idea what the movie was about except that Adam Scott was there and Damian McCarthy (Caveat, Oddity) was directing. Also, I enjoy haunted places and folk horror, so Hokum worked for me. It’s also easy to see the connection between Damian McCarthy’s newest work and his past films. Each of his movies feels like a better version of the previous one. While the stories are not identical, the vibes are familiar. Hokum follows a horror writer who visits an isolated inn and learns that it is haunted. There’s far more than haunts happening in this hotel. I enjoy how McCarthy mixes human evils with the supernatural. With a great atmosphere and well-placed scares, Hokum is worth checking out in theaters.
She’s Creepy
The characters make it easy to fall into the story. I haven’t seen Adam Scott play an asshole this big since Step Brothers and I was happy to see a complex protagonist. Ohm Bauman (Scott) is dealing with grief and addiction while writing his latest horror novel. He makes a negative impression on most of the people he meets. Through him, we are introduced to other characters and their relationship to the area and hotel. Each character has influence woven throughout the script. It would have been easy to get the main character alone at this hotel to write his book, and terror ensues. Instead, Hokum presents a mystery intertwined with folk horror. Ohm ends up investigating a missing person’s case after he experiences a traumatic event. I appreciate that he isn’t the only person on the hunt for the truth, he just takes a different approach.
Damian McCarthy makes me fear white men with secrets (this spoils nothing). I started the movie expecting a haunted hotel movie, but got a comedic psychological thriller for the same price. There are scenes that are atmospheric and tense. Just when you think a ghostly scare is going to pop up, a man with an agenda pulls up instead. This seems to be a throughline in his films. When the atmosphere is right (which it was), it keeps me on my toes. I did not expect the comedy. I don’t remember a single laugh from Caveat or Oddity, but Hokum pulled quite a few laughs from me. Although Ohm was not someone to root for, Adam Scott made him very relatable, especially once he was in the hotel alone.
It’s a Scream
If you’re pulling up for the scares, you’ll get your fill. Ohm quickly learns that the witch who haunts the hotel is not a myth. We feel her presence long before we see her. With the jingle of a bell, or a distant moan in the hallway, she permeates through the first act. Her presence adds to the gothic atmosphere. The tension is heightened because the protagonist can’t leave. When we see the witch (and her awesome lore) in action, she does not disappoint! I jumped a few times in the theater. I would have liked a darker resolution, but I was satisfied with the ending. However, I am interested to see what Damian McCarthy will do next. I have enjoyed each film a little more than the last. I also wonder how he’s going to incorporate terrifying rabbits again.
