Oddity (Ireland, 2024)

At the time of its release, the vastly overrated Longlegs was being touted by some critics as the most “terrifying movie of 2024.” It’s doubtful that anyone making such a statement has seen Irish director Damian Mc Carthy’s sophomore film, Oddity. What Longlegs promises, Oddity delivers. Steeped in a claustrophobic atmosphere, Oddity offers more than empty style. The storyline has enough minor twists and turns to keep the viewer engaged as it uses horror tropes and subgenres as its playground.

What can be found in the 98 minutes that comprise Oddity? At its heart, it’s a supernatural revenge story. But the ghostly constituents are blended with slasher elements and even a little found footage. (Very little, and it’s used effectively.) There’s also a whodunnit? mystery aspect to the story, although that’s easily its weakest part. Mc Carthy frequently shifts perspectives and, along with this, modifies our sympathies about who we should be rooting for. Things aren’t as straightforward as they initially seem and part of the fun is unraveling what’s really going on. Oh, and the film’s final image is damn near perfect.

Over the years, I have become so inured to jump scares that I’m almost immune. I say almost because, although they rarely work, Oddity got me. I jumped in my seat like I haven’t jumped recently even though, as with all jump scares, I sensed what was coming. Mc Carthy sets this one up beautifully (I won’t describe it – anyone who sees the movie will recognize it immediately) with the perfect blend of atmosphere and build-up.

The movie opens in an isolated country house where Dani (Carolyn Bracken), the wife of psychiatrist Ted Timmis (Gwilym Lee), is by herself after dark. She hears a knock at the front door and, when she looks outside, she is startled to see the face of a bedraggled stranger with one glass eye. He implores to be let inside – something she is understandably unwilling to do. He then informs her that he has been watching her and saw someone slip inside through the open door when she went to retrieve something from her car. At that moment, Dani hears a noise from inside the house and, frightened, is torn between opening the door or taking her chances with a possible intruder. It’s a captivating, riveting scene and a great way to get the movie started.

Later in the proceedings, we meet other characters. The most compelling of these is Dani’s twin sister, Darcy (also Carolyn Bracken), a blind psychic who owns a curiosity shop in Cork. After a visit from Ted, she plans a visit to the country house and brings with her an odd gift: a life-sized, grotesque wooden mannequin whose tortured expression makes for an unpleasant decoration. It also has the disquieting habit of seeming to move when no one is looking. Or is that merely a figment of the imagination?

The movie devotes much of its running time to the unraveling of a mystery – one that goes back to the opening scene and fleshes out details not initially provided to the viewer. The supernatural elements, focused heavily on the wooden man, are critical to the development and eventual resolution of the narrative, but these don’t come into play until the final act and the film keeps the nature of the mannequin (not to mention its motivations) under wraps. Mc Carthy has indicated a long-time fascination for movies in which dolls come to life (citing Child’s Play in particular) and he has added one of his own to this list with Oddity.

Carolyn Bracken, playing a dual role, differentiates the “everyday woman” Dani with her oddball sister. Although Dani is mostly an open book, Darcy is closed off. We’re never sure what she’s thinking or planning, and (at least until they are explicitly reveled) what her motivations might be. Bracken is assisted by the costuming and makeup department, but her acting presents two distinct individuals who nevertheless share a connection.

Oddity takes itself seriously and, as such, gradually builds a sense of impending doom. This isn’t a film where we feel assured that everything will turn out well at the end. The movie has a few shocks and scares (credit the camerawork and editing) but it’s mostly a steady journey down a path of dread and gloom. Although Mc Carthy’s style is critical to the movie’s effectiveness, he doesn’t abandon the story in its service. Instead, he crafts a plot that is intriguing and engaging and caps everything off with a satisfying ending.

Oddity (Ireland, 2024)