As I left the theater after watching Hokum, I overheard an individual behind me inform their accomplice, “Audio logs? Merchandise-based puzzles? That film felt like a online game.”
My eyes widened, as I now had practically instantaneous affirmation that it wasn’t simply me who felt this way–it wasn’t simply me who spent practically all of Hokum’s 107 minutes pondering, “Man, I want I may play this.”
Damian Mc Carthy’s newest horror movie has no IP hooked up to it. It isn’t an adaptation or a blatant homage, and there are not any refined references, cheeky cameos, or a weird Tar-esque ending. And but, the particular person strolling behind me was completely right: Hokum seems like a online game film. To be extra particular, Hokum seems like an extraordinarily good Silent Hill film.
Enable me to set the comparatively spoiler-free stage. Hokum follows a Sanderson-esque fantasy creator, Ohm Bauman (Adam Scott), on a visit to unfold his mother and father’ ashes close to Eire’s Bilberry Woods Resort–their favourite trip spot, in accordance with Bauman. Previous to the journey, Bauman is seen combating writing the epilogue of his critically acclaimed Conquistador trilogy. The preliminary thought he has for its ending is bleak, seemingly reflecting his personal psychological state–and maybe reinforcing his want to depart his dwelling and do actually anything.
Nevertheless, all the pieces about The Bilberry Woods Resort feels off, to place it evenly. Bauman arrives to discover a goat mendacity lifeless in entrance of the lodge doorways. Inside, an aged man tells two younger boys a horrifying and age-inappropriate story involving a witch and dismemberment. Afterward, a bellboy recounts his personal run-in with a witch within the lodge’s honeymoon suite. Bauman dismisses this declare as hokum–utter nonsense born from studying too many Irish folkstories.
After spreading his guardian’s ashes, we witness Bauman slam whiskey, berate others, and develop more and more extra agitated and aggressive. Anger and guilt appear to eat Bauman, although we’re not fairly certain why. All of this culminates in a surprising second solely 20 or so minutes in, but this incident is just a small a part of a collection of malevolent acts. Finally, Bauman is pressured to navigate The Bilberry Woods Resort seeking somebody; all whereas horrors–perhaps actual, maybe imagined–pursue him.
Very like every entry within the Silent Hill collection, Hokum is one half guilt-fueled psychological horror, one half supernatural horror, and one half White Claudia-filled madness. Although I actually would not name the movie complicated or laborious to observe, the backwards and forwards between what may be Bauman’s unconscious and the true occasions unfolding at The Bilberry Woods Resort create a slight sense of disorientation that retains issues tense. But there are many different qualities that amplify Hokum’s “Silent Hill-ness” along with this.
Much like Silent Hill’s Midwich Elementary College, Silent Hill 2’s Wooden Facet Residences, or Silent Hill 4: The Room’s Room 304, The Bilberry Woods Resort seems like its personal horrific set piece that consumes the souls inside it. As Bauman desperately seeks keys and makeshift instruments in an try to flee the hotel–all whereas taking paths that narrowly keep away from looming threats–I used to be reminded of all the assorted survival-horror titles I’ve performed over time. As he stumbled upon what I can solely describe as “audio logs,” each giving him extra perception into what led to the scenario he finds himself in, the similarities between Hokum and your common horror sport felt uncanny.
But what makes me so adamant that Silent Hill is the closest comparability is that all the characters in Hokum appear to hold baggage–and I do not imply simply the suitcases that belong to the lodge’s guests. There is a sense that Bauman is only one of many unusual, tortured souls visiting The Bilberry Woods, making the lodge appear virtually otherworldly. Right here, the veil is skinny, and darkish creatures and revelations lurk simply on the opposite aspect of it, arms outstretched.
Hokum seems like a Silent Hill sport in all however name–which is definitely par for the course with the collection, contemplating it is extra involved with the video games having thematic similarities relatively than the identical forged of characters or setting. Although Mc Carthy in all probability did not intend for it to be one, I would argue that Hokum is one hell of an audition for him to direct the following Silent Hill film. And with how keen studios are to adapt video games–and contemplating there is a new Resident Evil movie on the horizon–it would not shock me if Konami was actively scouting a director to carry their franchise again to the massive display screen. Based mostly on Hokum, I believe you would be laborious pressed to search out anybody who would do it fairly in addition to Mc Carthy.