New York Times reviews Damian McCarthy horror film Hokum

11 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Apr 30

The Critic's Pick stars Adam Scott as a troubled novelist at an Irish hotel, where he confronts family trauma, a sealed honeymoon suite and an ancient witch.
The review calls McCarthy's third feature his most accomplished, praising its folk-horror setting, destabilising absurdity and supporting characters including a bellboy, a forest dweller and crossbow-wielding handyman.
Set largely in woodland-surrounded surroundings, the 1-hour-47-minute film blends grief, alcoholism and supernatural menace in a story the review says keeps viewers off balance.

With near-perfect reviews, will "Hokum" reinvent folk horror or just expertly repackage familiar scares for audiences?

Can comedy star Adam Scott's dramatic turn carry a film built entirely on psychological dread and isolation?

Are the film's ancient witch and symbolic goats just horror clichés, or do they unlock a deeper truth about modern guilt?