One of my most anticipated films out of Overlook Film Festival 2026 was the latest by writer and director Damian McCarthy (Caveat, Oddity), Hokum. A horror author travels to a remote Irish inn to spread his parents’ ashes. Little does he know, the property holds dark secrets, including a powerful witch haunting the honeymoon suite.

Over the past six years, McCarthy has been making a name for himself as a phenomenal indie horror filmmaker. After the success of Caveat and Oddity, he’s back with what might be his most polished and terrifying film yet. Hokum follows an American author named Ohm Bauman. He’s traveled to an inn in the Irish countryside where his parents once honeymooned to spread their ashes. A dramatic event leaves Ohm in Ireland longer than planned and in debt to a kind bartender from the inn. When he finds out she’s gone missing, Ohm feels like it’s his duty to try and help find her. As he searches for the truth, he uncovers more than he bargained for. The rumors of a witch trapped in the honeymoon suite are true, and now he’s trapped in there with her. This is a plot with many layers to it. It takes time to let the audience get to know Ohm, presenting him as not the most likable person. It allows for his dedication to finding the missing bartender to be a sort of redemption arc for the character. From there, there’s a shift into the mystery of the missing inn employee. Adding to the suspense and terror of that mystery is the legend of the witch. McCarthy has crafted a mythos around the witch that feels both familiar and unique to this story. These supernatural elements not only add fright to the story, but it also makes Ohm confront many personal issues in a short amount of time. He’s forced to confront how he treats others, his traumatic past, his rather bleak look on life, as well as his own will to live.

While McCarthy has proven in the past that he can craft a film with a healthy balance of mystery and scares, Hokum is likely his best work yet. Despite it almost being three different stories in one film, he is able to blend them together seamlessly. The plot has a flow, connecting each subplot together in a way that is compelling, horrifying, and will have audiences in a chokehold from start to finish. Of all McCarthy’s films, Hokum not only has the shine of what is likely a larger budget, but it has a script that seems more fleshed out and complete compared to his previous films. It allows him to create his signature unnerving atmosphere, keeping the audience on edge before diving into bigger and bolder scares. Just like Caveat and Oddity, these scares aren’t just your average jump scares. Some are more subtle while others are more in-your-face, but all of these scares will stand the test of time. Because they feel earned compared to more cheap scare tactics, they will frighten audiences as much upon rewatch as they did the first time.

Hokum might be an Irish production, but the one American actor is the definitive star. Adam Scott (Krampus, Severance) stars as Ohm Bauman. When Ohm is first introduced, he’s kind of an asshole. Scott portrays the character as bitter, making him alienate those around him. After the bartender goes missing, his personality changes quite a bit. He’s still certainly bitter, but Scott reveals the softer and more caring side of the character. Scott goes through a whole range of emotions as his character is thrown into one unbelievable situation after another, forcing Ohm to take a deeper look at himself as he fights to survive. David Wilmot (Anna Karenina, Calvary) plays the local recluse, Jerry. Jerry is a rather odd man living alone in the woods near the inn who often partakes in magic mushrooms. While on the surface this character just seems like a weirdo, Wilmot plays him in a way that almost allows Jerry to be Ohm’s spiritual guide. Without his help, much of the mystery around both the missing person and the witch would remain in the dark for Ohm. The film also features strong performances from Will O’Connell (Game of Thrones), Peter Coonan (Love/Hate), Florence Ordesh (Departure), and Michael Patric (Frontier).

This film wouldn’t be as effective if it wasn’t for the nightmarish sights and sounds. Hokum has a great setting in the Irish inn. Filmed with breathtaking cinematography, it’s a beautiful old building with tons of warm light and rich, dark wood. It feels like such a warm, inviting place, until one enters the honeymoon suite. This place is cold and evil, creating a sense of unease the moment Ohm steps inside. The production design for this space is so immediately unsettling audiences will get goosebumps. Adding to the sense of dread and terror are the amazing makeup effects. Whether turning someone into a corpse, bringing to life Ohm’s nightmares, or creating the witch herself, these effects are absolutely stunning to behold and add so much fear to every scene. As if the visuals weren’t enough, the sound design also plays a major part in the constant feeling of terror. There are sounds repeated throughout the film including a ringing bell, the chiming of a mantle clock, and creepy phantom laughter that will have audiences on edge. Not to mention there is a beautiful, ominous sounding musical score composed by Joseph Bishara (The Conjuring 2). Every sight and sound was purposefully curated to enhance the plot and deliver some of the most terrifying moments of the year.

Hokum is one of the most frightening films of the year, combining mystery, drama, and folklore to create a nightmarish work of art. This is likely McCarthy’s best and most horrifying film yet, which is really saying something, considering how fantastic both Caveat and Oddity are. He knows how to create a compelling story while still crafting big scares. Scott makes a triumphant return to horror, proving he can deliver drama and terror just as well as he does comedy. Some of the imagery throughout this film will stick with audiences long after the credits roll, perhaps even creeping into their nightmares. I have no doubt this film will not only be a favorite at the end of 2026, but it will scare audiences for years to come. You can witness the horrors of Hokum exclusively in theaters beginning May 1st.

OVERALL RATING: 9/10