Fantasia 2024 Review: ‘Oddity’ is a Genuinely Scary Modern Horror with Almost Unbearable Suspense
During an eerily quiet evening in Ireland, Dani (Carolyn Bracken) is renovating the remote country home she shares with her psychiatrist husband, Ted (Gwilym Lee), while he works nights at a psychiatric facility. All is going well until Olin Boole (Tadhg Murphy), one of Ted’s former patients, arrives at the door to warn her that she’s in danger. He saw someone enter the house and wants to come inside to help protect her. Dani does hear strange noises in the house, but she’s unsure whether she should trust this seemingly crazy man, whose one working eye adds to his erratic image. Just as a cautious Dani seems ready to open the door, the film cuts to one year later where we discover that Dani was brutally murdered that night, and Olin, who was found dead soon after, was blamed.
In the present day, Ted is still living in the country house with his new pharmaceutical sales rep girlfriend, Yana (Caroline Menton). The happy couple aren’t thrilled when Dani’s blind twin sister Darcy (also Bracken) shows up with a nightmarish wooden mannequin, whose face is frozen into an agonising scream — a family heirloom gifted by a witch. Darcy is a psychic medium who is able to “read” objects, and she is there to uncover the truth behind her sister’s murder after Ted gifted her Olin’s eye a week prior. Darcy also runs an antique shop full of cursed objects, removing the curses only at the time of purchase. But does that really deter shoplifters? Ted had asked. “You’d be surprised how many stolen items are returned to me. For those lucky enough to figure out where their sudden bad luck is coming from.”
Oddity, written and directed by Damian Mc Carthy, is genuinely scary. It’s the kind of horror that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat, hiding behind your hands, and peeking through your fingers. A slow burn, Mc Carthy shows restraint by not rushing through the narrative. The simplicity to his filmmaking and storytelling creates almost unbearable tension resulting in effective scares. There’s a myriad of chilling still shots showing empty parts of the house, especially of characters looking back at doors, which creates a lot of fear and suspense. The jump scares are also fantastic, as Mc Carthy takes us through familiar tropes with striking expertise, often giving a scare when you expect a joke, and a joke when you expect a scare.
Set in three different locations, with the house at its centre, Oddity feels like a home invasion horror with a touch of murder mystery. When Dani was renovating the house, she and Ted were sleeping in a tent she referred to as “cosy,” but the house is anything but. Even when Ted and Yana have added furniture, it never feels safe or homely. It’s a cold and creepy place that was built for horrors to unfold within. The kind of place you’d be scared to walk around alone at night. A place where house plants would simply die out of fear — especially with the wooden mannequin sitting at the dining table, occasionally moving its head, unassisted.
Bracken is a revelation. She is truly captivating in her dual role as Dani and Darcy, two very different people with their own personality, mannerisms, and appearance. Dani is kind and laid back with shoulder-length brown hair, while Darcy, with contrasting short platinum blonde hair, is more controlled and reserved, often possessing a wry smile and a biting tone. Bracken told the Irish Independent that she didn’t work up the courage to go after a career in acting until she was in her early 30s. This, then, is only Bracken’s third feature film role, but she is a remarkably talented actor and someone to keep a close eye on. For Menton, this is her first feature role entirely, with her only other acting credit being a short film in 2018. She handles herself well against such an overall skilled cast.
The characters Mc Carthy has created are fascinating. It’s riveting to watch Yana and Darcy’s dynamic play out in the creepy house, while the petrifying mannequin sits quietly, watching, as we wait for Darcy’s master plan to unfold. Mc Carthy balances terrifying horror and breath-holding suspense with lots of funny and acerbic dialogue. At one point, Yana asks Darcy, “Do I look stupid?” and she replies with: “I have no idea what you look like. You sound stupid.” It’s so much fun to hear a character talk like that.
Oddity is a top-tier modern horror made for watching with audiences. Mc Carthy’s filmmaking is sharp and atmospheric with a brilliant tension-building score and effective use of dim lighting and shadows by cinematographer Colm Hogan. It’s a truly compelling watch where you’re rooting for a supernatural entity you’re scared of. The ending is unsettling, but the film’s final frame leaves a comedic nod to its audience. I never got around to watching Mc Carthy’s debut feature, Caveat, but I’ll definitely be checking it out to see how much he’s grown as a filmmaker.
