Oddity – review by Oliver Copeland
Damien McCarthy’s ‘Oddity’ stands out as a unique and refreshing addition to this year’s film releases. It avoids being a copy of a superior film or burdened with an overbearing arthouse
style. Instead, ‘Oddity’ delivers genuine scares and an impactful script, making it a must-watch for fans of the supernatural and mystery genres.
The film follows a couple, Dani (Carolyn Bracken) and Ted (Gwilym Lee), as they renovate a large castle-eque house in the Irish countryside. Ted works night shifts at a
sanitarium, leaving Dani alone in their unfinished home. One night, while Ted is away, Dani is visited by a mysterious man in the night. The man warns her of an intruder, so Dani hesitantly
lets the man inside, hoping his intentions are good-willed. Tragically, she is found dead the following day, leaving Dani’s blind psychic sister, Darcy (also played by Bracken), to enact
revenge on her killer using possessed items.
One of the film’s standout features is Carolyn Bracken’s performance as both of the sisters. Her starkly contrasting performances between the two showcase her ability as an actor, considering I didn’t even realize the two were the same actor until after the film had ended. Her role as Darcy is haunting, she appears sickly, looking closer to a ghost than a human. In her role
as Dani, on the other hand, she plays an excited young woman, ready to move into a new home with her soon-to-be husband. That being said, Gwilym Lee shines as well, in his role as Ted, as
he borders the line of being likable and not, alluding to his characters depth and highlighting his ability.
With its plot parallel to stories from Tales from the Crypt (though void of many of the show’s comedic aspects), Oddity is a twisted, fun, and mysterious film, without being
overbearingly thought-provoking. Its atmosphere is heavy and dark but is still filled with cheeky moments of clever wit. Considering the film only takes place primarily in one location, McCarthy
does an incredible job at building tension and an overall feeling of dread, using actor’s performances and the cinematography.
The only non-redeeming aspect of this film is its predictability. Due to its rather simplistic formula, its plot and twists can be seen from a mile away. Though the jump scares were almost
always unexpected, and the tension is kept high throughout the entirety of the film, the overarching story is foreseeable, taking away a hint of mystery that the film could have had.
-Oliver Copeland
