Some people prefer beach resorts or sightseeing to relax and unwind. In this film, the protagonist visits an inn deep in a forest, far from civilization. “Hokum” is a folkish horror movie about a novelist who travels there following his parents’ deaths. Because it’s where his parents honeymooned, he checks in, only to encounter unnervingly cheerful staff and a hauntingly beautiful wilderness.
“Hokum” Trailer Breakdown
In “Hokum”, a horror novelist, Ohm Bauman, travels to a particular inn in Ireland shortly after his passing. Surrounded by towering trees and grey skies, Bauman finds the atmosphere to be interesting but weirdly quiet. Odd staff members wander the grounds, offering plastered friendly smiles. The receptionist asks about his stay, and we discover he’s there to spread his parents’ ashes. He comments on the people around here being strange, but the owner says, “There are worse things than strangers out there yet.”
They discuss the inn and its odd staff. He hears of a local witch said to haunt the land. Soon after his arrival, a staff member vanishes. Bauman joins the search, exploring the woods and the inn. When he asks to check the Honeymoon Suite, a staff member firmly replies, “It’s always LOCKED.”
He senses an unsettling force the deeper he explores the area, even finding an underground tunnel system beneath the inn. As nights come and go, an entity appears as a humanoid rabbit hybrid, tormenting our protagonist the longer he stays.
Nature and Isolation Themes
The setting of “Hokum” is mainly hosted in the middle of the forest, with just a single building acting as the only source of civilization. The whole setting screams Stephen King goes abroad, with a haunted house planted in the middle of nowhere. Despite the location having people working around the grounds, it feels like Bauman is completely isolated.
Nature has a grip on this film because of the setting, essence, and its connection to the entity. The inn is the familiar object we understand, but it’s the most noticeable out-of-place thing in the area. Below the surface lie man-made tunnels that act as a metaphor of the corruptions of mankind taking root. With the witch’s hare-like appearance and curse upon the land, it appears that nature is cutting off the rest of the world to contain this corrupted piece of land.
“Hokum” Cast and Crew
Director and writer Damien McCarty (“Oddity,” “Caveat”) is spearheading this psychological horror with NEON, and is produced by Cweature Features, Spooky Pictures, Imagenation Abu Dhabi FZ, Tailored Films, and Team Theives.
Adam Scott, the actor from “Parks and Rec” and “Severance,” stars as the main protagonist in “Hokum” as Ohm Bauman. Accompanying him in this project are Peter Coonan, David Wilmot, Florence Ordesh, Will O’Connell, and a variety of other talented individuals.
Chilling Folk Horror To Begin the Summer
“Hokum” is scheduled to open its doors on May 1st, 2026. The trailer has the typical suspenseful background music, but the landscapes are eye-catching, and the cinematography captures the environmental storytelling. I hope it didn’t give too much away, but if it does, I will still see it because of the incorporation of folklore that inspired this film. If you like what you’ve read and want to see more content like this, check our website to keep you up-to-date with the latest news!
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