HOKUM 😊

Horror, science fiction, and fantasy are uniquely positioned to push the envelope and expose audiences to visuals and stories beyond their imagination. It’s what makes the genre special: we know it’s not real, we know it’s fantasy, yet we still get disturbed. HOKUM understands this, and, at times, it delivers. But it never fully commits, and that restraint is what keeps it from being an all-time classic.

Adam Scott stars as Ohm Bauman, an American author who travels to a properly creepy hotel in rural Ireland. Scott’s expressiveness, which works so well in his comedic roles, transfers nicely into horror. Writer and Director Damian McCarthy (CAVEAT, ODDITY) crafts a unique world with interesting characters, a beautiful setting, and a structure that generates an incredible amount of tension as it deviates from a typical formula.

The most frustrating part of HOKUM is that it could’ve been weird, genuinely uncomfortable, but kept pulling back. There are moments where the film builds toward something that feels truly unhinged, then resolves it safely. Yet, HOKUM is still worth watching. It’s scary, even though it won’t keep you up at night, and it’s a well-crafted film with a strong performance at its center. The seeds of greatness are sprinkled throughout, I just wish more of them had been tended to.

HOKUM will be playing in theaters on May 1, 2026.