Damian McCarthy delivers his third feature film, Hokum, a psychological horror story set in a rural Irish hotel. The film follows Ohm Bauman, a novelist in crisis who travels to scatter his parents' ashes and deal with writer's block. There, his inner demons and supernatural phenomena blend into a spiral of anguish. McCarthy debuts with a major distributor, which is evident in a stronger budget and clear narrative ambition.
Cameras, shadows, and a hotel that breathes in every frame 🎥
McCarthy takes advantage of shooting on real locations in Ireland to build an oppressive atmosphere without relying on excessive digital effects. The cinematography plays with backlighting and narrow spaces, using anamorphic lenses that distort the hotel corridors. The ambient sound, from creaking wood to wind in the fields, blends with a minimalist soundtrack. The director prioritizes slow pacing and silences, building tension before the few direct scares. The result is a horror that is more cerebral than visceral.
Writing a horror novel is easier than scattering ashes 💀
Ohm Bauman arrives at the hotel with two missions: scatter ashes and write. Spoiler: neither goes well. As he struggles to find the right words, the hotel offers him visions, noises, and the occasional object that moves on its own. It almost seems like the building has more talent for drama than the novelist himself. In the end, one wonders if writer's block wasn't better than having to deal with ghosts and literary criticism at the same time.