An atmospheric horror that lingers.
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Hokum/ˈhəʊ.kəm
Pretentious nonsense.
This film plucks a cynical American out of his comfort zone and drops him in the countrysides of Ireland where everyone believes in witches and fairies. “Hokum,” he says, which is odd coming from an author of fiction. Perhaps the Irish trancendence is particularly unique.
Hokum, written and directed by Damian McCarthy, stars Adam Scott, Peter Coonan, David Wilmot, Florence Ordesh, Michael Patric, Will O'Connell, Brendan Conroy, and Austin Amelio.
The author, Ohm Bauman (Scott), visits rural Ireland to lay his late parents’ ashes. He checks into The Bilberry Woods Hotel where they spent their honeymoon, the Emerald Isle’s very own Overlook. Rounding up the staff of the quaint establishment are the old eccentric Cob (Conroy), his son-in-law and front desk clerk Mal (Coonan), Fergal the groundskeeper (Patric), bartender Fiona (Orgesh), and Alby the bellhop (O’Connell). Ohm also meets a man in the wild, Jerry (Wilmot), who drinks milk laced with magic mushrooms that he believes allows him to see ghosts.
A series of misfortunes soon begin to happen, and what started out as a sombre yet idlyllic affair turns jarringly terrifying. While men are still the monsters of this story, McCarthy also introduces Irish folklore for an added supernatural twist that'll make you question your own beliefs.
Here is not where you stay cynical. Expect the unexpected even if the unsettling score is setting you up for a jump scare you’re anticipating. You’d never imagine a children’s cartoon character named Jack the Jackass would look so nightmare-fuelled, he may just be the one lasting scare you’ll remember long after the credits start to roll, even with all the time spent on hyping up the witch.
It’s a lot of anticipation that McCarthy puts his characters and viewers through. At the core of Hokum is a simple journey of finding closure and inspiration but the road to accomplishment is far from hokum. McCarthy’s tight screenplay is one of the film’s greatest strengths. The keen-eyed writer-director is decisive with his intentions, creating an atmospheric film that captivates audiences from the get-go.
Hokum is a new horror that delves into classic genre roots while maintaining its own identity, making it a powerhouse addition that’ll not soon be forgotten.
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