The Verge reviews Oddity as tense precursor to Hokum
A review of the Irish-set horror film highlights its effective use of isolation, a disturbing wooden golem, and a $750,000 production budget that delivers high-impact atmospheric tension.
The Verge has published a review of Oddity, positioning the film as a masterfully tense revenge thriller and a direct thematic predecessor to director Damian McCarthy’s recent release, Hokum. The outlet notes that viewers introduced to McCarthy through his latest film, which stars Adam Scott and has outperformed box office expectations, should consider viewing Oddity to understand his stylistic roots. The review suggests the film is best experienced blind, a recommendation standard for the horror genre to preserve its atmospheric impact.
Set in the Irish countryside, Oddity shares significant narrative and aesthetic DNA with Hokum. Both films utilise isolated locations, cursed objects, and supernatural elements to explore themes of victimisation. The review identifies a consistent motif in McCarthy’s work: the portrayal of true evil as respectable men who prey on the women in their lives. This thematic continuity is evident in Oddity, which follows Darcy Odello, a blind psychic seeking vengeance for the murder of her twin sister, Dani.
Production constraints appear to have sharpened the film’s focus. While McCarthy’s recent film Hokum operated on a $5 million budget, reports indicate Oddity was produced for as little as $750,000. The review argues that this limited budget was deployed intelligently, resulting in a gritty, dark production that relies on atmosphere rather than spectacle. A significant portion of the resources was directed toward the film’s central prop: a wooden golem.
The golem is described as a source of sustained discomfort, retaining its terrifying impact regardless of screen time. Unlike typical horror monsters that lose effect upon repeated viewing, this intricately carved figure, featuring a mouth frozen in a scream and hollow eyes, remains unsettling. Its static presence for much of the 98-minute runtime forces the audience to confront the object, building tension through stillness rather than movement.
McCarthy’s direction is credited with expertly managing pacing and jump scares, which the review notes are effective and never gratuitous. The narrative includes twists revealing the innocence of the initially accused man, Ted, and complicating his relationship with his girlfriend, Yana. Supporting horror elements include repeated apparitions of Dani’s ghost, a cannibalistic scene, and the isolation of a location with no cell reception. The film is currently available to stream on Hoopla, Kanopy, Hulu, and Shudder.
