Posted 5/1/2026
Hokum is a supernatural horror film written and directed by Damian McCarthy (the filmmaker behind Oddity and Caveat) that follows a cynical American writer on a grim journey of closure. The story centers on Ohm Bauman (portrayed by Adam Scott), a misanthropic novelist who travels to a remote seaside inn in West Cork, Ireland, to scatter the ashes of his long-deceased parents at the site of their former honeymoon. His personal mission is quickly derailed by local folklore concerning a vengeful witch said to haunt the hotel's long-bolted honeymoon suite. After a kind bartender (Florence Ordesh) mysteriously disappears, Ohm is forced to abandon his skepticism and navigate a terrifying labyrinth of Irish folklore, unsettling visions, and a dark history that mirrors the trauma of his own past.
The film serves as an atmospheric "haunted hotel" ghost story and features David Wilmot as Jerry, a local eccentric who becomes Ohm's unlikely ally in unraveling the inn's supernatural secrets. Alongside them, the ensemble cast includes Peter Coonan, David Wilmot, and Will O'Connell, many of whom portray the hotel's quirky and increasingly suspicious staff. Produced by Neon and Spooky Pictures, the 2026 production has been praised for its nimble editing, evocative sound design, and Adam Scott's layered performance as a man whose nihilistic facade is stripped away by an ancient evil. It explores themes of grief, the power of storytelling, and the weight of inherited guilt, delivering a dread-steeped experience that solidifies McCarthy as a modern master of folk horror.
Movie descriptions were generated by Google Gemini.
