HOKUM REVIEW: A WELCOME BREATH OF FRESH AIR

If the 2020s have proved anything for contemporary English cinema, it’s that audiences are yearning for horror that creeps up in an unexpected way; films that reinvent, or even semi-cognizantly play off of, genre standards and expectations seem to be in a somewhat stagnant state of production. Damian McCarthy is no stranger to the horror scene; his consistent output of horror shorts and features over the better part of two decades has cemented him as somewhat of a household name among fans of the genre. Going into this new feature with Adam Scott and a ‘standardized on the surface’-esque mantra to the screenplay, McCarthy sets out to build upon the works of Stephen King. It would be slightly misleading to imply that McCarthy has created a horror film that is far removed from any pre-existing templates, but this doesn’t remove the impact of its narrative structure, or the homages it pays to the classic horror cinema that comes before it.

Guaranteed to please genre veterans and rookie thrill seekers, McCarthy sprinkles a little bit of something for everybody throughout the intricacies of the framing, moments of tension, and even the endearing character writing. It’s almost akin to a myriad of green flags from a storytelling perspective, especially for a film in the contemporary horror genre. Any promotional interview with Scott and McCarthy shows that the two’s palpable chemistry translates to artistic endeavours. Scott’s performance is something of an expected treasure. Juxtaposing his traditionally seen roles as a light-hearted, funny man with charisma and flair, he embodies a closed-off creative with endless emotional walls and a slight drinking problem. It’s a tough sell during the first 15 minutes, as Scott’s character veers into territory that leaves him feeling unlikable. McCarthy’s ability to drench his character in empathy and consideration throughout the runtime is commendable. This bleeds into a larger observation of the narrative beats, which not only feel intricate and valid but also give the narrative a genre-bending flair that could potentially throw sets of expectations out of the window.

Consistently taking advantage of showing instead of telling, even when it comes to grand reveals and vignettes of exposition, McCarthy develops a narrative that stands out as one of the most satisfying genre-driven adventures since Perkins stumbled upon the nugget of gold that was 2023’s Longlegs. The images are sharp and omnipresent, and dead space within the mise-en-scène is utilized to the nth degree. While it does borrow template ideas from psychological thrillers and horror novel adaptations from the early 2000s, it uses these ideas more for the sake of progressive inspiration, rather than allowing them to become a safe bet product. For my money? Hokum easily feels like one of the more accomplished horror films, not only concerning 2026 so far, but also in terms of McCarthy’s filmography as a whole.