Skip to content

ODDITY

Written By:

Rebecca Sayce
Oddity

After chilling horror fans with his 2020 supernatural feature debut Caveat, Damian Mc Carthy returned in 2024 with his eagerly anticipated sophomore release Oddity. The Irish film scene has been firing on all cylinders for some time, with releases such as Fréwaka, An Taibhse, and All You Need Is Death solidifying the unique and haunting stylings the Emerald Isle has to offer. Oddity is now available to own on Blu-ray and DVD courtesy of Shudder.

The film begins with Dani Odello-Timmis (Carolyn Bracken), the wife of psychiatrist Ted Timmis (Gwilym Lee), deciding to stay the night in the remote farmhouse the couple are renovating. There, she is visited by Ted’s patient Olin Boole (Tadhg Murphy), who begs Dani to open the door to him and claims there is someone in the house with her. She does not heed his warning, and is later found savagely murdered. Olin is arrested for the crime, and he too is later found killed in the halfway house he is living in.

One year later, Ted visits Dani’s twin sister, blind clairvoyant Darcy Odello (also Bracken), in her cabinet of curiosities shop. They exchange pleasantries, and Ted idly suggests Darcy come and visit the now-completed farmhouse. She takes up his offer and arrives several days later, just as Ted is called to work. Ted asks his new girlfriend, Yana (Caroline Menton), to stay with Darcy, as well as the trunk that arrived days prior to her arrival carrying a sinister carved wooden mannequin. On the surface, it appears Darcy is visiting for an old catch-up, but she, of course, has ulterior motives. Darcy does not believe Olin killed Dani, and plans to channel her paranormal abilities to find out who did.

Mc Carthy embodies what Irish horror does better than no other – injecting a natural dark humour into a chilling narrative with terrifying results that throw the viewer off balance. The characters are naturally quick-witted and the comedic beats of Oddity are as satisfying as the scream-inducing scares. Coupled with the violently twisty plot and bizarre concept, this creates an edge-of-your-seat spectacle from start to finish. It’s rare we’re aligned with the supernatural in haunted house films, but Oddity subverts that, positioning viewers with Darcy and the spirits she communes with to seek answers. Despite this, the film’s unseen entities – and, of course, its horrific wooden antagonist – maintain their unpredictable and terrifying edge, with each jump scare well-earned and nightmare-inducing. With an almost unbearable sense of dread, Oddity is a triumphant comeback for Mc Carthy, who has cemented his status as a filmmaker destined to make great and ghoulish things.

stars

Oddity is now available to own on Blu-ray and DVD courtesy of Shudder.

Rebecca Sayce

You May Also Like...

margaret qualley of the substance joins cast of the dog stars by ridley scott

THE DOG STARS Adds Margaret Qualley And Others To Cast

Ridley Scott‘s thriller feature The Dog Stars continues to announce its cast list, following news that Jacob Elordi would replace Paul Mescal in the lead role. Margaret Qualley, Josh Brolin and Guy
Read More
house of night book cover marked

HOUSE OF NIGHT Novels To Receive Film Adaptation

A film adaptation of the bestselling YA vampire fantasy, 12-book series House of Night is in the works. Cinematographer Rain Li (Paris, Je T’aime, Paranoid Park) will direct from a script she
Read More
the lord of the rings: rings of power renewed for season 3

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER Gets Renewed For Season 3

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has been renewed for a third season, which will surprise no one considering the major cliffhangers on which season 2 ended.
Read More
taylor lautner to star in twilight meta series taylor lautner: werewolf hunter

Twilight Star To Star In Very Meta TAYLOR LAUTNER: WEREWOLF HUNTER Series

Taylor Lautner is set to star in a very self-aware TV series, which he will also executive produce for Amazon MGM Studios, titled Taylor Lautner: Werewolf Hunter. The project was
Read More
aaron paul to star in the night house. still from film the path

THE NIGHT HOUSE Will Star Jacob Tremblay And Aaron Paul

Room star Jacob Tremblay and Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul will star in The Night House from producer Steven Schneider (Insidious, Paranormal Activity, Split). The Night House is based on the 2023 novel by Jo Nesbø, whose writing
Read More
how to train your dragon trailer live-action

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON Debuts Full Trailer

After debuting an excerpt of the film during the Super Bowl, Universal Pictures has released the full trailer for How to Train Your Dragon, a live-action remake of the beloved
Read More