Oddity

This film does a lot of things right. While there's a jump scare or two, the fear mostly consists of atmosphere and situations that would easily scare anyone in a similar setting. That's the right way to do horror, with the idea of something inspiring dread as opposed to cheap reaction scares that are only effective due to loud noises. It even starts out with an impossible decision that effortlessly hooks you in. Additionally, there's always something to focus on that consistently engages the audience. Shown, not immediately explained. Seen and not described. This results in mystery and guesswork that will keep you interested throughout. All in all an entertaining film, and the acting skill displayed by the entire cast is competent and fitting.

I only have two complaints. The first is that the motivation of some characters are basically nonsensical. It could be argued these people are essentially psychopaths, but even so their choices are far too extreme to be believed. Absolutely ridiculous. The second is the ending scene. I can't elaborate without spoilers, but while the concept is very cool, the execution was pretty weak. None of this ruined my overall enjoyment of the film, but there is no lasting impression because of it, which is a shame.

I love seeing a horror film without knowing too much about it beforehand. I saw the trailer a couple of times, which didn't give away too much plot. But still made we want it see it.

The setting is simple... a cabin in a rural part of Ireland, which allows the filmmakers to create an eerie atmosphere for the audience, and they did a great job making me feel like I was there.

The small cast allows the characters have depth, especially Carolyn Bracken, who gives the film much of its creepy flavor.

As the plot unfolds, it starts to feel somewhat familiar... in a good way. But even though it doesn't break the mold with other films of this genre, the filmmakers and cast make it feel fresh.

If you like atmospheric slow burns, you'll appreciate this film. You'll still get a few well done jump scares... and maybe even a few laughs (in a good way).

I recently watched the Irish film 🇮🇪 Oddity (2024) in theaters. The storyline follows a doctor who loses his wife in a strange home invasion. Five years later, the doctor has a new girlfriend who stays in the same house. She starts to get weirded out by strange events around the house. When she finally decides to move out, she discovers it won't be as easy as she hoped...

This film is written and directed by Damian Mc Carthy (Caveat) and stars Gwilym Lee (Bohemian Rhapsody), Carolyn Bracken (The Quiet Girl), Caroline Menton, Tadhg Murphy (Boy Eats Girl), and Steve Wall (Dune: Part Two).

This is a unique addition to the horror genre, with elements that remind me of both Pumpkinhead and The Conjuring. The atmosphere is perfectly created, and I loved the old cobblestone house, camera angles, and use of lighting. The props are outstanding, and the corpses and blood splatter are solid. Unfortunately, the movie loses momentum with its kill scenes, which weren't great. The acting is uneven, with some scenes overacted, but overall, the performances are good. I really enjoyed the full-circle elements in the conclusion, though I wish they had taken everything one step further.

In conclusion, Oddity is a unique addition to the horror genre and a must-see for enthusiasts. I would score this a 7/10.

For anyone that watches a lot of horror, you'll know how difficult it is to scare audiences today. This film got me. It's definitely without a doubt one of the scariest and most original indie horror films to come out in 2024. Oddity managed to tell what feels like a big story in really just a few locations. I can't imagine the budget was too big, and sometimes it felt low budget, but in my opinion, this only made it scarier. For some reason I always feel like big budget horror movies don't serve the scares as successfully because there's something comforting about the studio polish. This film had an indie grit and the jump scares were SO EFFECTIVE. I don't jump easily but this got me several times. And the story is also captivating. Highly recommend, especially for horror lovers!

Even though I'm not usually a fan of horror movies, I went to a movie festival and watched Oddity. I was impressed by the quality of the scenes, the location and the chosen frames were good (and effective, because it was scary). I also liked how the actors played their role. The connection between the sisters was well presented and the husband played quite well the role of a very rational man.

The story, however, was a little bit predictable. By the end of the first half of the movie I already assumed who the murderer was and what was going to happen next.

It is a pretty good movie to watch. :)