TEHRAN- “Hokum,” a 2026 supernatural horror film directed by Irish filmmaker Damian McCarthy, will be reviewed at the Arasbaran Cultural Center in Tehran on Wednesday evening.
Film critic Kourosh Jahed is set to attend a screening of the film followed by a review session.
“Hokum” is a haunting exploration of guilt, folklore, and the thin veil between reality and the afterlife. Starring Adam Scott, the film follows Ohm Bauman, a cynical American author of the successful ‘Conquistador’ trilogy. Struggling with writer’s block and the lingering trauma of his mother’s death, Ohm travels to the remote Bilberry Woods Hotel in Ireland—the site of his parents’ honeymoon—to scatter their ashes. However, his journey toward closure quickly descends into a waking nightmare.
However, his arrival is marked by his own abrasive personality and a blatant disregard for the hotel’s staff, including the enigmatic owner Cob (Peter Coonan) and the seemingly helpful bartender Fiona (Florence Ordesh).
McCarthy masterfully builds tension by grounding the supernatural elements in local Irish mythology. The legend of the Cailleach, a witch who drags shackled souls through the underworld, serves as a grim omen for Ohm’s arrival.
Initially abrasive and dismissive of the hotel staff, Ohm’s skepticism is shattered after a near-death experience. Following a suicide attempt triggered by his internal demons, he is saved by the bartender, Fiona. Upon his return from the hospital, he discovers Fiona has vanished, and the hotel is thick with a sense of impending doom.
The plot thickens as Ohm teams up with Jerry (Austin Amelio), a local eccentric who consumes magic-mushroom-laced milk to communicate with the dead. Together, they uncover the hotel’s darkest secrets. The horror is revealed to be both spiritual and human: Mal, the hotel clerk, had drugged and murdered a pregnant Fiona, hiding her body in a dumbwaiter to protect his family’s reputation. As Ohm explores the forbidden honeymoon suite, he is forced to confront the repressed memory of accidentally killing his mother as a child—a revelation that mirrors the supernatural entrapment he faces.
The film’s climax is a visceral descent into terror. As Mal attempts to burn the hotel to hide his crimes, the Cailleach herself emerges, chaining Mal and dragging him into the underworld. Ohm, however, finds a path to redemption. By making peace with his mother’s spirit, he manages to break his metaphorical and literal chains, escaping the inferno just as the structure collapses.
The resolution adds a final layer of psychological intrigue. In the hospital, the bellhop Alby admits to vengefully spiking Ohm’s whiskey with Jerry’s mushroom powder, suggesting that Ohm’s supernatural odyssey may have been induced—or at least amplified—by the drugs. Yet, the physical bruises on Ohm’s wrists remain as evidence of his ordeal. Ultimately, the experience allows Ohm to finish his trilogy with a newfound sense of hope, finally unshackled from his past.
Financially, “Hokum” was a resounding success. It grossed $24 million worldwide against a modest $5 million budget. It debuted to a strong $6.4 million in its opening weekend, finishing fifth at the domestic box office.
Critical reception was overwhelmingly positive. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 90 percent approval rating, with critics praising it as a “classic haunted house story enriched with atmospheric folklore.” Metacritic assigned it a score of 76, indicating generally favorable reviews, while audiences gave it a solid “B” CinemaScore. With “Hokum,” Damian McCarthy has solidified his position as a modern master of the horror genre, delivering a film that is as emotionally resonant as it is terrifying.
SAB/
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