‘Severance’s Star New Horror Film Is a Huge Hit with Nearly Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Score

The early numbers are in, and HOKUM is officially a critical juggernaut. Ahead of its wide theatrical release this Friday, May 1, the supernatural horror film has debuted to a blistering 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics hailing it as a “nerve-shredding” and “visceral” experience.

Directed by Damian McCarthy—the mastermind behind the 2024 breakout Oddity—HOKUM marks a significant step up in scale for the director while maintaining the suffocating atmosphere and legendary jump-scares that have become his trademark.

Adam Scott stars as Ohm Bauman, a misanthropic horror novelist who travels to a remote Irish inn to scatter his parents’ ashes. Scott, known for his deadpan wit, leverages his signature sarcasm to play a character who is “amusingly a jerk” before being systematically broken down by the inn’s dark history.

Critics are calling it a “transformative” and “frigid” performance. Screen International notes that Scott’s ability to conjure “overwhelming anxiety” is the engine that drives the film’s most terrifying sequences.

The Rotten Tomatoes “Critics Consensus” describes the film as: “A classic haunted house story enriched with atmospheric folklore and perfectly-timed shocks, Hokum further solidifies writer-director Damian McCarthy as a modern master of horror.”

• The “Witch” of Bilberry Woods: Much of the praise centers on the film’s folklore, specifically the legend of a witch haunting the “honeymoon suite” where Bauman resides.
• The Dumbwaiter & The Canopy Bed: Reviews highlight specific set pieces—including a bone-white canopy bed and a claustrophobic dumbwaiter—as some of the most effective horror imagery seen in years.
• Atmospheric Dread over Gore: While the film is R-rated, critics have praised McCarthy for relying on “childlike nostalgia and terror” rather than just body horror.

Distributed by Neon, HOKUM is expected to perform strongly with horror fans hungry for the next “A24-style” slow-burn. With a runtime of 101 minutes and a cast that includes Peter Coonan, David Wilmot, and Austin Amelio, the film is positioned to be the first major horror hit of the summer season.

Will you check the movie in theaters? Or will you wait for the home release? Let us know in the comments below.