Hokum Summary and Review - A Search for the Truth Rveals a Nightmare

Hokum is a tense supernatural mystery rooted in Irish folklore, blending gothic horror with murder-mystery intrigue. Set mainly within the Bilberry Hotel, the film follows Ohm Bowden, a successful novelist returning to Ireland to scatter the ashes of his late parents at the place where they honeymooned years before. What begins as a personal pilgrimage spirals into something far darker, tied to the legend of a witch imprisoned within the hotel’s honeymoon suite.

The Weight of Unresolved Grief

Ohm isn’t an easy man to warm to. Abrasive and emotionally guarded, he manages to alienate most of the hotel staff soon after his arrival. But the harsh exterior masks the weight of unresolved grief — a secret he’s carried for far too long — and it gives the character a sharp, uneasy edge. Fiona, one of the hotel employees, is the only person willing to challenge his cynicism, and the brief connection between the pair gives the film an emotional focal point.

When Fiona later intervenes during a dangerous incident involving Ohm, events take a downward turn. After leaving the hotel for a period, Ohm returns to discover that Fiona has vanished, leading the story into full mystery territory. Feeling indebted to Fiona for her help, he begins searching for answers, aided by Gerry, a local man with a murky history of his own.

A Noticeably Lighter Tone

Unlike Damian Mc Carthy’s earlier films, Caveat and Oddity, Hokum adopts a noticeably lighter tone. The suffocating claustrophobia and slow-burn pacing of those films are replaced here with a faster-paced narrative built around investigation, quick thinking and survival. While the atmosphere remains unmistakably McCarthy’s, the film feels more adventurous without abandoning its horror roots.

The mystery surrounding Fiona’s disappearance and the looming supernatural threat of a witch are sucessfully woven together into a narrative that keeps the viewer engaged and also entertained with a puzzle-solving element as Ohm finds himself trapped in perilous situations having to use his wits to extracate himself. At times, the film almost adopts the tone of an RPG adventure, with clues, hidden mysteries, and emerging obstacles driving the story forward.

Visually, the film is striking throughout. Soft amber lighting cuts through the gloom of the hotel's wood-pannelled interiors, while the cinematography leans into a vintage gothic aesthetic that recalls classic ghost stories of the M.R James era. In the same vein, Hokum takes a measured approach to jump scares, using them with restraint rather than relying on constant shocks, allowing the tension to build naturally and making the scares feel earned.

Signature Atmospheric Dread

The blending of genres may divide some horror fans. Those expecting another relentlessly oppressive slow-burn in the style of Caveat may find Hokum a little playful in comparison. Still, the balance largely works. Expanding the story into a murder mystery gives the material more substance, and without those additional layers the central witch narrative may have struggled to sustain a full feature-length runtime.

That said, some aspects feel underdeveloped. The witch’s history is only lightly explored, leaving questions about how and why she was imprisoned inside the hotel in the first place. Gerry’s backstory also stretches credibility at times, particularly the suggestion that he managed to hide in the nearby woods for years while evading the authorities. However, the film moves quickly enough that these gaps rarely become distracting.

Strong Performances

The performances are strong across the board, particularly Adam Scott as Ohm, who convincingly captures a man consumed by grief and self-imposed isolation. Even when the character is difficult to like, his emotional pain remains believable.

Although the film runs slightly long, without seriously testing the patience, it manages a number of themes skillfully resulting in an pleasing package that demonstrates that McCarthy can work with a bigger budget without sacrificing the qualities that made his earlier films memorable. McCarthy  manages to maintain his signature atmospheric dread and focus on old-school rooted scares, resulting in an entertaining and well-crafted supernatural thriller.

★★★★☆ (4/5)

Character & Production Details

Ohm Bauman: Adam Scott
Mal: Peter Coonan
Jerry: David Wilmot
Fiona: Florence Ordesh
Fergal: Michael Patric
Alby: Will O’Connell
Mr. Cobb: Brendan Conroy

Writer: Damian McCarthy
Director: Damian McCarthy
Year of Release: 2026
Runtime: 107 minutes