Oddity

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!

Ted and Dani Timmins have recently purchased a new house. One night, whilst Ted is at work, Dani receives a visitor at the front door, Olin Boole, who claims someone's in her house, that night Dani is killed. Darcy, Dani's twin aims to learn the truth.

If ever a film was given the perfect title, it's this one, it verges on art house, it's very much an avant garde, slightly quirky horror, but trust me it works.

I wasn't sure which way it was going to go, but it opens up well, and offers a few surprises along the way, delivering some unsettling moments, that scene with the wooden man is especially good.

If I had one little criticism, I think they underdid the lighting a little, a few scenes are somewhat challenging to make out.

It does feel a little rough around the edges at times, but I think that is part of the charm, maybe some of the acting isn't great at all times, but again that fits the film.

Overall, I'd definitely recommend.

7/10.

Over the years, I've almost given up on horror films. Most are essentially comedies to me, without meaning to be. It's rare that I even get an uneasy feeling and watching any movie, but this one succeeded in doing that.

The acting was good and while it was essentially filmed low budget, it didn't feel that way. Carolyn Bracken did an amazing job within her roles and I would like to see more from her in the future.

It was a relatively simple film and of course had plot holes and points that made no sense... But even after that, it was definitely worth the watch. I do wish they would have removed the last scene from the movie though. It was not needed and only detracted from the positives.

Psychiatric doctor Ted Timmis and his wife Dani (Carolyn Bracken) live in an isolated property, which they are in the process of renovating. One night, while Ted is at work, Dani is murdered, apparently by one of Ted's ex-patients, Olin Boole (Tadhg Murphy). A year later, Dani's blind twin sister Darcy (also Bracken) pays a visit to Ted's home, which he now shares with his new girlfriend Yana (Caroline Menton), bringing with her a full-size carved wooden figure...

Irish indie horror Oddity successfully delivers an unsettling atmosphere, decent performances (Bracken is great in her dual role) and a few well-executed jump scares, largely courtesy of its creepy, wooden Golem-style figure. And the cinematography is impressive. But even though the film is admirable from a technical standpoint, it does suffer from contrivances (the pointless trapdoor; Olin overhearing the plot to kill Dani; Yana replacing the items she finds in the wooden man's head) and predictability, the murder revelation and subsequent supernatural revenge coming as little surprise.

With a bit more polishing of the script, Oddity might have been worthy of the praise that has been heaped upon it - but as it stands, I found it merely adequate. 6/10.

This is a nicely crafted blend of story, dialogue and cinematography. Not so much for the ghostly effects but it's ok. I'd rather have a cleverly written story with so-so special effects than a triple A cgi title with no substance these days.

This feels more of a mish-mash of drama and murder mystery than horror. Some of the props do look creepy and unnerving and they work well to push through the story. Don't expect a lot of jumpscares, there's not a lot which is a good thing. It's all about the atmosphere.

All in all I can't find much faults except for the cheap-ish sfx and costumes, but that's only for a few seconds of the movie anyway. What matters here is the mystery to solve. Great popcorn movie.