THE STORY – After the brutal murder of her twin sister, Darcy goes after those responsible by using haunted items as her tools for revenge.
THE CAST – Gwilym Lee, Carolyn Bracken, Tadhg Murphy, Caroline Menton, Jonathan French & Steve Wall
THE TEAM – Damian Mc Carthy (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 98 Minutes
Many modern horror offerings fall into one of two camps: 1) so-called “elevated horror” that prioritizes human drama, metaphors, and eerie atmosphere over traditional scares or 2) traditional “fun” horror that often prioritizes jump scares and seeks to take the viewer on an adrenaline-filled carnival ride without focusing on trying to be especially deep.
“Oddity” is a unique blend of “elevated horror” and “fun” horror, making it an intriguing watch. The film’s art-house storytelling, unusual structure, pacing, and commitment to being a fun horror experience create a curious blend that is sure to pique the interest of horror enthusiasts.
“Oddity” follows Dani (Carolyn Bracken), a blind medium grieving the loss of her identical twin sister Darcy, as Dani begins to suspect that there was more to Darcy’s death than meets the eye. Determined to know the truth, Dani utilizes all the supernatural powers at her disposal to identify and punish those responsible for her twin’s death.
One feels guilty sharing even a high-level summary of “Oddity” because this is truly a film best enjoyed by knowing as little as possible beforehand. The narrative is far less straightforward than the broad description above. For starters, Dani is the film’s nominal protagonist. Still, like Francis McDormand in “Fargo,” she isn’t introduced until twenty minutes into the film and is absent from large sections going forward, as the film shifts to the POVs of Darcy’s widowed husband Ted (Gwilym Lee aka Brian May in “Bohemian Rhapsody“) and his new girlfriend Yana (Caroline Menton), each struggling with their own guilt and suspicions about Darcy’s death.
Moreover, the film unfolds like a puzzle box, avoiding a traditional three-act structure. It opens with what appears to be the prelude to a murder before using a jolly-sounding music transition to introduce a supernatural monster encounter in an insane asylum and only then settles on the main story. To reveal more about where the film goes from there would be to spoil too much. But suffice it to say, the film’s unorthodox storytelling choices continue.
Amidst its quirks, “Oddity” maintains a strong commitment to traditional old-school horror scares. These scares, which include jump scares that rival those in “Haunting of Hill House” and home-invasion scares that outdo “The Strangers,” are sure to thrill and excite fans of supernatural and home invasion horror.
Director Damien McCarthy (“Caveat”), cinematographer Colm Hogan (a camera operator on “The Green Knight“), and Production Designer Lauren Kelly masterfully utilize long takes and deep-focus camera work inside the film’s central set (a large, semi-empty house) as well as ever-present shadows to keep the audience on edge. Each shot asks, “Is there something behind that person?” and often the answer is, “Yes…yes, there is.” The same kind of anxiety comes from the scene in “Hereditary,” where it slowly reveals that Toni Collette is on the wall in the shadows, but over and over. The result is a lingering anxiety that leaves the audience giggling with nervousness by the end. To be kept so scared for so long is a treat. It’s almost like a carnival ride.
After a point, the film’s commitment to unorthodox storytelling, which includes a non-linear narrative and a lack of a clear protagonist, undermines the scares. The last twenty minutes or so, which are largely scare-free and committed to wrapping up the plot, drag considerably. Moreover, the film’s decision to feature generally fairly unlikable characters keeps the audience at a distance, primarily when the film no longer uses its excellent scare tactics to keep the audience invested.
At least one major “twist” is also hamstrung by the fact that certain cast members play certain characters so obviously sinister that revelations about their murderous pasts feel less like a twist and more like an inevitability. To be fair, that shortcoming is a symptom and not the root of the problem. The majority of the performances feel a bit too mannered.
Despite some storytelling and performance qualms, “Oddity” is genuinely scary in ways many recent horror films have not been. The film’s effective supernatural and home invasion scares, coupled with the director’s potential, leave the audience feeling hopeful and optimistic about the future of horror cinema.
