Hokum: Why Adam Scott’s film falls short of being a horror masterpiece

Hokum released in Indian theatres last Friday. Starring Adam Scott, this one is not just a supernatural thriller, but also borders on psychological horror. As it is, the number of horror films releasing in India is limited, and if you are a fan of a good jump-scare film, then this one is hands-down a perfect choice. In fact, director Damian McCarthy weaves a crafty, atmospheric horror film with this latest release. However, is Hokum a horror masterpiece?

Is Hokum the perfect horror-thriller?

The ambience-building in Hokum has been perfect. McCarthy puts a lot of effort into the world-building, beginning the narrative with the picturisation of a story that Scott's character, Ohm Bauman, is writing. In fact, we are introduced to Bauman through mentions of his work and slowly understand the heaviness and guilt that he is carrying inside, which appears as the ugliness in his character.

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However, from the moment Scott's character tries to unravel the mystery of the hotel’s honeymoon suite and find Fiona, who had saved him, the flaws in the narrative appear too glaring to be ignored. And one of the biggest flaws of the film is its poorly written characters.

No backstory- would it appeal to audiences or make the film a miss?

It was surprisingly refreshing to see that McCarthy does not give any backstory to any of his characters, except for the protagonist. Well, it's understandable- he wants to keep the focus entirely on Scott's character and his development, without swaying or giving space for anything else to creep in. So, the audience does not get to see why the villain has evil in him or even where the supernatural comes from.

Now, it is quite a bold experiment, but it might not appeal to audiences, especially those in India. While we have grown up with characters like Mogambo or Gabbar Singh, whose villainy never had a reason, and even McCarthy, through his storytelling, establishes the fact that there is no black and white and evil is more like a reflection of mental state and trauma rather than a character flaw, it does take away the audience's attention. I mean, if you do not know why the character is the way he is, can you really relate or empathise?

Plus, what most horror films do bank on is the origin of the supernatural- why the ghosts or the witches inhabit where they do and how that came into being. That's entirely missing here, and the director heavily leans on the set designer and cinematographer to convey the fear.

So, should one watch Hokum?

Well, the answer would be yes. Hokum, which literally means nonsense, isn't the perfect horror-thriller, if that is what you are expecting. But, like mentioned before, it has been crafted well. The jump scares land, and McCarthy shows a great understanding of the audience and how long to hold the silence and darkness before delivering the scare. It will be genuinely horrifying at moments, and if you watch it in theatres, the collective gasps through the hall would only heighten the experience.