Hokum Review: Adam Scott Leads A Very Scary Horror Movie [SXSW]

Horror is one of the most reliable genres that Hollywood goes back to over and over again. There are many reasons for that but, in the here and now, it's partially because it's cheap relative to other forms of popcorn entertainment. It's also one of the only genres that can sustain original ideas these days. And thank God for that, because we get movies like "Hokum." It's not "elevated" horror attempting to reinvent any wheels. It is, however, a very satisfying, very fun, and very well executed scary movie. 

Hailing from writer/director Damian McCarthy, who previously brought us the good old-fashioned scary movie "Oddity," his latest effort centers on novelist Ohm Bauman (Adam Scott) who heads to a remote hotel in Ireland to scatter his parents' ashes. Upon arrival, he's met with tales of a witch haunting the honeymoon suite. A mystery soon begins to unfold, leading him to confront some darkness from his past, as well as horrifying visions that his pragmatic mind is initially quick to disregard.

The trailer for "Hokum" promised an exceptionally creepy, supernatural horror movie. There's something refreshing about a movie that delivers upon reasonable expectations. NEON hasn't over-marketed or over-promised with this one. The studio knows what they have and McCarthy knows precisely what he's doing. For anyone who enjoys what a genuinely scary, not terribly complicated scary movie has to offer, this is the goods.

"Hokum" is the kind of movie that has one yelling stuff like, "Turn the lights on!", "Nope!" or, to quote "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" for a moment, "B***h get out the room!" It's frightening but not so self serious that it can't be a joy as well. It's the sweet spot for horror fiends.

I haven't seen "Caveat," the movie that put Damian McCarthy on a lot of people's radar, but the filmmaker's follow-up "Oddity" made me an instant fan. The tent scene in "Oddity" is arguably one of the scariest movie scenes ever. While McCarthy doesn't quite match that high with any single scare in "Hokum," he once again proves that he's quickly becoming a master of the genre who knows how to use tools filmmakers have been using to scare audiences for years. He's just better at using them than most.

McCarthy is a master at building tension, often leading to a jump scare that has value and is anything but hollow. It's easy to make a loud noise and scare someone. Can you make it stick? Can you make it feel like more than a cheap trick? McCarthy absolutely can. In that way, he reminds me of a younger James Wan, who asserted himself as a master at tension with movies like "The Conjuring" and "Saw," while also proving he could have some fun with movies like "Dead Silence."

Similarly, McCarthy knows how to inject some levity, albeit of the pitch black variety much of the time, into his motion pictures. That's the thing: Certain movies are so damn scary they almost feel like a punishing experience. That can be a compliment, but it's also not for everyone. McCarthy manages to find the right balance, offering fun amidst the genuine terror. It's old-fashioned horrific cinematic entertainment in that way. McCarthy is also a master at using sound to his advantage.

A great cheeseburger isn't complicated, the ingredients and execution are just top-notch. That's a Damian McCarthy horror movie.

As for Adam Scott, viewers who know him mostly from "Parks and Recreation" will be surprised to see him in an entirely different gear. He's not trying to be funny here. He's an effectively bitter, stiff man who has a genuinely believable character arc here. The movie rests very heavily on his shoulders and he carries it well.

That's not to say Scott's never done drama. His role in "Big Little Lies" earned him his role in "Severance." He's also done horror movies before ("Piranha 3D" anyone?) but this is him getting to lead a straight-up horror thrill ride. A good horror movie can trip over itself with sub-par performances. That's far from the case here. McCarthy knows how to get the most out of his actors.

It frequently feels like so much modern horror has to have a gimmick or a way in that attempts to elevate it. "Horror as a metaphor for grief and trauma" is a big example that filmmakers love to turn to lately. What's refreshing about McCarthy is that he's just making original horror movies with compelling stories that are fun to watch. Hollywood is inevitably going to recognize his talents and he's going to be making much bigger movies before we know it. For the time being, it's worth enjoying his little horrific delights.

/Film Rating: 8 out of 10

"Hokum" premiered at SXSW. It opens in theaters on May 1, 2026.