‘Hokum’ finds fresh scares lurking in the shadows of an old Irish hotel

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No fooling, “Hokum” is a fabulous horror film for all tastes.

American author Ohm Bauman (played by Adam Scott) travels to the Irish countryside to finish his popular “Conquistador” book series. His hotel, Bilberry Woods, has a strange story: a witch is said to be trapped in the honeymoon suite – the same suite where Ohm’s parents honeymooned before they passed away. He’s there to scatter their ashes, hoping to find a peaceful spot connected to their happiness.

Most tourists would avoid a haunted inn, but Ohm actively dislikes people so much that a sunny beach vacation would be his worst nightmare. The film opens with a scene from the end of Ohm’s new book, showing a harsh journey through the desert with a treasure hunter (Austin Amelio) and the man’s incredibly thirsty young guide (Ezra Carlisle). The terrible experiences Ohm creates for his characters are as unpleasant as the dirty hot tub at the Bilberry Inn.

Ohm isn’t just a villain in the story; his harsh treatment of others is genuinely disturbing. He’s particularly cruel to a nervous bellboy, Will O’Connell, simply for mentioning he’s a fan. And before his first night is over, he also deeply upsets the barmaid, Fiona (Florence Ordesh).

In this story, both witches and unpleasant people are very real. The script cleverly connects supernatural creatures with genuinely awful humans. The evil in the film doesn’t seem planned; it’s more like negativity just builds on itself. The main character, Ohm, is partly responsible for the trouble, and the film hints he might have been born with a curse, conceived on this haunted land. However, the actor plays him as such a weak and chilling villain that we surprisingly find ourselves hoping he survives, even though those he’s wronged would happily see him punished.

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McCarthy, being Irish himself, excels at creating a realistic and detailed world – you can practically feel it in the small touches, like the stacks of boxes in the hotel manager’s office or the heart-shaped lights in the honeymoon suite’s elevator. It’s Halloween week at the Bilberry hotel, so the place is filled with classic turnip jack-o’-lanterns – a nod to the fact that pumpkins are originally from the Americas. While we’ve seen heroes creep through dark corridors many times before, McCarthy makes it feel genuinely new and immediate; you can almost smell the dampness and decay.

This horror film feels instantly familiar, evoking a classic style with its charming location and restraint in terms of graphic violence. However, ‘classic’ feels a bit stuffy, despite the film embracing all the expected elements – shadowy figures, ringing bells, and unsettling details like an old dumbwaiter. (The set designer clearly collected every spooky statue they could find!) Director McCarthy handles these familiar tropes with such confidence that they feel fresh, much like the awkward bellboy, played by O’Connell, naturally wearing a vintage cap. When asked if it’s a costume, the bellboy insists it’s genuine.

McCarthy simply wanted to create a film he was proud of, and that’s where his success lies. The movie seems to explore themes similar to Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol,’ focusing on a character’s internal struggles. However, it’s unlikely his character will experience a genuine transformation. The actor is known for playing unlikeable roles – remember the infamous family singalong in ‘Step Brothers’? He’s better suited to playing a ruthless, morally compromised figure, and that’s the kind of role that could earn him an Oscar.

Despite everything, Ohm feels more hopeless and unhappy than any character Scott has played before, and the story offers glimpses into why. While parts of the plot are predictable, the challenging, puzzle-like sequences actually reveal a surprising resilience in Ohm. He still believes life is worth fighting for, and it’s genuinely enjoyable to watch his unique mind work through these difficult situations.

The movie doesn’t rely on traditional jokes, but it’s full of funny moments. One running bit involves the hotel staff getting annoyed with goats that keep jumping on cars. Later, deep in the woods, a strange man named Jerry (David Wilmot) reveals the goats are acting strangely because they’ve been eating hallucinogenic mushrooms. He then offers the main character, Ohm, a drink of milk that also causes hallucinations.

Joseph Bishara’s score creates a chilling atmosphere with haunting choral arrangements that sound like ghostly winds. The film features touches of traditional Celtic music and poetry, giving it a consistently somber mood reminiscent of a mournful hymn. Colm Hogan’s cinematography is visually striking with deep, rich shadows. Importantly, both the visuals and Brian Philip Davis’s editing build suspense gradually, rewarding careful viewers without relying on cheap, sudden scares. The sound design also avoids overly loud, jarring effects.

Hokum is charmingly messy and avoids giving direct answers, only addressing what’s absolutely required. I was mostly curious about two things: McCarthy’s strange obsession with rabbits – which appear repeatedly, all trying to be more frightening than Frank the Rabbit from ‘Donnie Darko’ – and whether the filmmaker identifies with the character of Ohm, since they both seem to enjoy creating people just to tear them down.

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2026-04-30 20:31