Oddity(2024) || Horrifyingly Satisfying

I could feel the hairs on my skin stand while watching this film. But, it was oddly satisfying and has also unlocked another fear in me of how far men can go to get rid of their partners just because they have fallen out of love with them and have found a new spark in someone else. At the point of writing this, I could still feel my heart pounding loudly in my chest. I don’t know how I came across this film, but I don’t regret it one bit. It's a supernatural horror film that puts together psychological tension with traditional ghost story elements.

Synopsis

Directed by Damian Mc Carthy, the story revolves around Dani (Carolyn Bracken) and her husband Ted (Gwilym Lee), who seem to be renovating their house, secluded in the woods. Things take a dark turn when Dani encounters Olin Boole (Tadhg Murphy), a patient from Ted’s psychiatric hospital while she’s at the house alone. Olin tries to warn her that there’s someone in her house, while looking suspicious himself. She doesn’t believe him and doesn’t open the door for him when he asks. Strangely, Dani gets murdered that same night.
A year later, Dani’s blind twin sister, Darcy, a psychic, who runs an antique store handed down to her by her mother, visits the house seeking answers. She brings with her a life-sized wooden mannequin, a sinister artifact that becomes central to unraveling the mystery surrounding Dani’s demise.

** My Review and Rating**

First things first, I absolutely love this film’s setting; the eerie backdrop of rural Ireland. The film delves into themes of grief, revenge and the supernatural, while delivering a chilling narrative that had me captivated from start to finish.

This film excels in creating an atmosphere of creeping dread(I can’t stress this enough). I think at this point it's the best horror film I’ve come across this year. Mc Carthy’s direction is meticulous. I absolutely loved the utilization of the isolated setting and minimalistic sound design to heighten the tension. The film’s pacing on the other hand is deliberate, allowing the suspense to build gradually.

Carolyn Bracken delivers a standout performance, convincingly portraying both Dani and Darcy with distinct nuances. For a second I almost thought they were actual twins. Putting them apart, I found Darcy’s character more interesting and my heart kinda bled when she fell for Ted’s crafty idea which ultimately led to her death.
Well, this film shook me to the marrow but I never took my eyes off my screen for a second. I could feel my blood pumping rapidly through my veins.

The wooden mannequin Darcy took to the house with her gave me chills as it served as both a physical and symbolic manifestation of the horror that awaited Ted and his mistress. But, they seemed to toy with it. Lol.
I think I experienced literally all the emotions while watching this one. I like that it avoided reliance on cheap jumpscares, but opted for a slowburn approach that still lingers in my mind.

Well, it’s definitely worth your time. I need to go deal with the horror in my head right now.

Rating? Oh, it’s 4.5/5.