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Oddity

One of the great things about doing a gig like this is the ability to stumble upon under-the-radar gems that might not normally get the recognition that they deserve.

With so many viewing options at our disposal, it’s literally impossible to stay on top of them all. Too often, without the right marketing or, in many cases, the perfect online algorithm, great films are completely ignored and lost forever. ODDITY, the new horror gem by writer/director Damien McCarthy is the perfect example of this.

Boasting stunning visuals, fantastic performances, and a ceaseless air of creepiness, ODDITY is the type of slow-burn frightfest that I absolutely love. While it certainly has a few “gotcha!” moments, it leans much heavier into suspense than it does full-blown horror.

Dani (Carolyn Bracken) is working alone one night to renovate an old country home that she and her husband, Dr. Ted Timmis (Gwilym Lee) have purchased. Suddenly, there is a knock at the door, and a glass-eyed stranger, who just so happens to be one of her husband’s patients, exclaims that he witnessed someone enter the home when she had stepped outside. Apprehensive and genuinely freaked out, she does not allow the man in, but remains on high alert once he leaves. Unfortunately, she should have heeded the suspicious stranger’s warnings.

Upon hearing of her twin’s death, blind clairvoyant Darcy (Bracken, once again) is working in her oddity shop when Dr. Timmis comes for a visit. The glass-eyed patient, Olin Boole (Jonathan French), had been convicted in Dani’s murder, and soon after, savagely slaughtered himself. The good doctor procures the glass eye from the dead man, and upon Darcy’s request, brings it to her. By placing this in her hand, she can see exactly what happened to her sister.

Once alone, Darcy uses her gift to learn the truth. Shortly thereafter, she goes to the country home of Ted and his new girlfriend Yana (Caroline Menton) for a semi-unannounced visit. In passing, Ted had suggested she come out to the home, and so Darcy, with no advance warning, takes the trek. Yana, creeped out about constantly being alone in the seemingly haunted estate while Ted works nights, isn’t thrilled with Darcy showing up and had planned on going back to the city. Darcy, though unable to see and unfamiliar with the home, decides to stay by herself to see if she could commune with her sister.

ODDITY is a meticulously crafted creepshow that expertly develops a heightened sense of underlying dread with each passing second. The visuals are baroque and haunting, setting the unnerving tone within the opening frame. From the dark, expansive hallways of the ancient home, to the dilapidated state of Dr. Ted’s asylum, the set pieces are every bit as important as the action itself. And as far as the action goes, though there are moments of shocking violence, it’s the buildup that is far more terrifying than the acts themselves. In many cases, we are privy to the aftermath of the mayhem which, when executed to perfection as it is here, is often more impactful than actually witnessing the brutality. In that same regard, ODDITY features what may very well be one of the most memorable horror characters of the year. It is wooden man that remains mostly motionless for the majority of its screentime, yet finds a way to impact every frame in which he appears. Even when he is not the focal point of a scene, if he’s there, you will notice him, and he’ll remain with you long after the film has finished.