The Ending of Adam Scott’s Horror ‘Hokum’ Explained

Released as a gripping start to the summer horror season, Hokum—written and directed by Damian McCarthy and starring Adam Scott—is a psychological descent that blends Irish folklore with deep-seated personal trauma. While the film is packed with atmospheric scares and The Shining-esque tension, its ending leaves many viewers questioning what was real and what the final moments truly signified.

At the center of the film is M (Adam Scott), a distant and isolated writer who travels to a remote hotel in Ireland. He carries with him the remains of his parents, hoping to find closure at the site of their honeymoon. The core of M’s character is defined by a tragic accident from his childhood: he accidentally shot and killed his mother, an event that led to a lifelong rift with his alcoholic father and a deep sense of self-loathing.

As M settles into the hotel, he becomes obsessed with local legends about a witch trapped in the honeymoon suite. After a mental health crisis and a suicide attempt, M is saved by a staff member named Fiona, who mysteriously disappears shortly after.

The film eventually leads M to the honeymoon suite, where he is trapped by a man named Mal. The reviewer notes that Mal serves as a “mirror” to M—representing the person M would become if he completely succumbed to his anger and rejected his humanity. While there are hints that the supernatural elements and the witch might have some basis in reality, much of the horror is fueled by M’s psychological state and the lore provided by the local “encyclopedia” character, Jerry.

The key to understanding Hokum’s ending lies in the “Conquistador” story M is writing, which bookends the film:

• The Opening Vision: In the beginning, we see a Conquistador and a child lost in the desert. The Conquistador considers breaking a bottle over the child’s head to retrieve a map trapped inside. This symbolizes M’s belief that he must “kill” his own vulnerability and innocence to survive his guilt.
• The Final Rewrite: By the end of the film, as M recovers in a hospital bed, he rewrites this scene. In the new version, the Conquistador offers the child the bottle to kill him (the angry, adult self) instead. The child refuses and simply throws the bottle away.

This shift represents M’s emotional journey toward self-acceptance. Instead of continuing to punish himself or purging his humanity, he finally accepts the tragedy of his past.

The film uses visual mirrors to emphasize M’s struggle:

• The Red Circle: The Conquistador operates within a red circle in the sand, symbolizing a “circle of death” or the need to purge something to survive.
• The White Circle: In the hotel suite, M draws a white circle around his bed for protection from the witch, representing his desire for safety and healing.

Hokum is ultimately a story about childhood trauma and the choice between staying trapped in a cycle of anger or finding the path to forgiveness. While it delivers “Conjuring-style” jump scares and intense atmospheric horror, its true power lies in its ambiguity and the lack of easy answers.

If you want an ever more detailed explanation, I highly recommend checking this video:

What did you think of the Hokum? Did you like the movie?