Irish Horror Keeps You Guessing at Every Strange Turn

Seeing double? Well, someone in Oddity isn’t seeing at all, but that won’t stop her from literally taking names seeking the truth, justice, and a whole lot more. It’s a wild tale that showcases the vast talents of Irish actress Carolyn Bracken (star of the Oscar-nominated The Quiet Girl) as twin sisters, one of whom meets her fate too darn early and thus kickstarts a wild ride that will tickle the fancies of horror-thriller fans everywhere.

Written and directed by Damian McCarthy, Oddity may take a wee bit too long for its revenge-karma tale to get off the ground, but once its twisty story levitates into the nailbiting second and third acts, you’ll be begging for more by the time the credits roll. IFC Films seems to be scooping up quite a few innovative scary projects these days, following the terrific In a Violent Nature earlier this year. And now, Oddity is here to make you further squirm during this hot, hot, hot summer season.

Oddity

4/5

Release Date July 19, 2024

Director Damien Mc Carthy

Cast Gwilym Lee , Carolyn Bracken , Tadhg Murphy , Caroline Metnon , Steve Wall , Johnny French , Joe Rooney , Josuha Campbell

Runtime 1h 38m

Main Genre Horror

Writers Damian Mc Carthy

Pros

• Wonderful dual performance by Carolyn Bracken
• Genuinely scary moments and sequences
• Lovely plot twists

Cons

• Takes its time to get to the meat of the story
• Divisive ending

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A Spooky Sisterly Bond

IFC Films

There’s something eerily vintage about the modern tale that is Oddity — and there are several reasons you’ll catch these throwback vibes. For starters, it’s the central property at hand where the “magic” happens, aka the tucked-away country home of Ted (Bohemian Rhapsody star Gwilym Lee) and his wife Dani (Bracken). Remember how Lars Von Trier’s masterpiece Melancholia took place entirely on that sprawling and gorgeous estate? You’ll catch a similar feeling in Oddity, to thrilling effect.

Descriptive words like vintage and also “odd” come to mind in consuming this new IFC release, hence its title, as a chilling and purposefully jarring opening sequence sees wife Dani face great danger despite the strange in-person warning signs communicated by trespassing but well-meaning local Olin (Tadhg Murphy), who was recently released from prison after brutally murdering his own mother 17 years earlier. But for some strange, unknown reason, he already knows Dani is in danger on her own turf. And, it doesn’t help that her husband, Ted, works nights at the very same psychiatric ward where Olin had been kept in recent years.

Cut to one year later, and all that’s left of Dani are memories that come in the form of photos and even a certain voice message she once left for her identical twin sister Darcy, where she claims she had found a way to “connect” their spirits — shortly before Death knocked on her door, of course. The still-grieving Dani plays the message over and over again, but perhaps not just because she misses her sibling.

One lap around the sun later, Ted has already moved on to a new lover, now dating the young and feisty Yana (Caroline Menton), who just happened to befriend Ted before Dani’s gruesome death. Yes, Oddity thrives on holding nothing back on its violent moments, similar to how IFC’s other recent gem In a Violent Nature also relished in its gore galore.

Related In a Violent Nature Review: A Gory and Artistic Slasher with a Brilliant Hook

Gus Van Sant’s death trilogy might come to mind in this breathtaking horror film with cerebral vibes and horrific murders.

Unbearable Tension Ensues

IFC Films

Ted clearly wants to move on, but it doesn’t help that his dead wife’s sister’s day job is the owner of a curio shop, with a cabinet of curiosities that would put Guillermo del Toro to shame. On the anniversary of Dani’s death, sister Darcy pays Ted an unexpected visit and insists on spending the night there, even though Ted has to head out to work, leaving the reluctant Yana alone with this blind, increasingly inquisitive presence.

It also doesn’t help that Darcy refuses to believe it is Olin, the former fugitive who tried to warn Dani, who committed the heinous crime a year earlier. That’s what everyone in town thinks, given that Olin had committed murder almost two decades earlier. But Olin turned up dead later that night, and Darcy may or may not have certain medium skills that she puts to work inside Ted’s eerie residence.

IFC Films

From there, the suspense builds to purposefully unbearable levels, with chilling set pieces, since — let’s not forget — Darcy runs a somewhat creepy antique shop and even brings a giant token with her when paying Ted her visit. Why? And why does it have to be a terrifying wooden mannequin with hidden treasures hidden within it? Yana wants to jump ship but, of course, can’t find her car keys, so her curiosity spikes as she investigates what’s really going on with Darcy and why she’s really snooping around Ted’s property, which isn’t in the greatest shape due to ongoing renovations.

All these collective little elements, plus dynamite and diverse performances by its principal performers, make for a chillingly simplistic and haunting tale that might even benefit from repeat viewings. The final, cliffhanger-esque moments may divide viewers, but we wouldn’t be surprised if Oddity 2 came along down the line.

From IFC Films, Oddity is now playing in theaters.

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