It’s easy for horror to approach a singular sub-genre and proceed to tell its story within that world. Slashers and ghost stories have long dominated the space and only continue to grow in popularity. However, Oddity – from director Damian Mc Carthy – decides to utilize a mishmash of these genres to tell a harrowing personal tale. With paranormal, ghost stories, and creature feature elements, Oddity stuns in its brazen approach to scare the daylights out of you. With excellent thriller elements building throughout the story, Oddity emerges as one of the signature horror films of the year.

While renovating a house in the countryside, Dani (Carolyn Bracken) is murdered. Her husband Ted (Gwilym Lee) visits her twin sister Darcy (also Bracken) one year later. When he does, Ted informs Darcy that he acquired items from the man suspected of killing her sister – a former patient named Olin (Tadhg Murphy). Afterward, Darcy visits Ted at the house Dani was renovating, where Darcy meets Ted’s new girlfriend Yana (Caroline Menton). Darcy brings a strange gift – a wooden man resembling a golem. Over the course of the night, secrets are revealed and the tension rises throughout the house.

Mc Carthy pushes the audience straight into the abstract horror pool, and as a result, Oddity takes on some powerful narratives. Questions about nature versus nurture, belief in mental illness, and greed coalesce within the story. Oddity keeps these ideas running throughout the tale, especially with Olin serving as a questionable villain, and Ted’s past proving far darker than one might imagine. Darcy’s own anger and depression since the death of her daughter leads to her own form of neurosis, putting her on a one-track mind to avenge her sister’s death.

The performance from Bracken brings down the house. It’s a brilliant turn that allows her to embody two characters at different points in the movie, but still create chemistry between them. Not only are Darcy and Dani believably sisters, but the love between them bursts off the screen. Even though they never share the screen while living, the emotion and pathos felt in each performance highlight Bracken’s power as a performer. She must also play a character with visual impairment and never leans into caricature while doing so. Instead, she makes us believe in the character’s ability to read people without their body language. It’s a stunning display that makes Oddity soar.

Additionally, Lee steps into a lead role with confidence. While he’s often relegated to prominent supporting roles in projects like The Great or Bohemian Rhapsody, he makes for an excellent foil to Bracken. There’s a lot going on beneath the surface of his character, which Lee allows to break through in small pieces throughout Oddity. He also bounces off Menton and Jonathan French exceptionally well. It’s a role that simultaneously shows his ambition, lust, and darkness within the same performance.

Mc Carthy ensures that the visual scares of Oddity remain with you long after the movie ends. He composes one of the best jump scares in years around a tent setpiece while also dolling out slow-burn tension with the arrival of the wooden doll. The visual of the wooden man is terrifying in its own right, and combined with the magic imbued within the creature, Mc Carthy ensures that folk horror fans will be thrilled by the inclusion. He builds additional layers and scares on the fringes, with possessions, ghosts, and darkness all combined to unease the audience. It’s a stunning array of visuals, and Mc Carthy becomes a must-watch director after Oddity.

A stunning display of loss and excellent performances make Oddity a must-watch for horror fans. Not only does it take turns you’ll never expect, but its slow-burn approach makes it impossible to ignore. The dread you’ll feel in your house after watching Oddity makes you realize just how effective Mc Carthy is as a director. With a bright future ahead and a stunning visual foundation, we hope that Mc Carthy returns to horror soon.

Alan’s Rating: 8/10Watch Oddity in select theaters now! Oddity is distributed by Shudder and IFC Films. Keep up with all our reviews from the 2024 Fantasia Film Festival! The Fantasia Film Festival runs from July 18 to August 3, 2024.The post Fantasia 2024: ODDITY – An Unnerving Horror Fantasy appeared first on Sunshine State Cineplex.