ODDITY Review: Contained But Frightening Supernatural Thriller

The world’s creepiest mannequin holds the secret behind a shocking death in Damian McCarthy’s Oddity.

Dani (Carolyn Bracken) is struggling to restore an old estate inherited by her busy doctor husband, Ted (Gwilym Lee). When a mysterious and violent death befalls her as she’s alone in the house one night, it’s up to her blind medium twin sister, Darcy (also Bracken) to solve the case. However, Darcy won’t be working alone, there’s also a sinister mannequin in the mix, that seems to be more than meets the eye.

After Dani’s death, Ted moves along a bit too quickly with his paramour Yana (Caroline Menton), with whom he’d worked at the hospital. It all seems a bit fishy but no one can make the pieces fit, was this a conspiracy, or a simple home invasion gone wrong? The answer is perhaps not all that surprising, but the road to a resolution definitely has its share of twists, turns, and solid scares.

While Oddity isn’t exactly going to set the world on fire, it’s a solid enough low-key horror to give fans of atmospheric chills what they need. The film relies on several unexplained phenomena to move it from point A to point B, and if you aren’t the type to ask questions, that’s fine, but for some it’ll feel like a lot of coincidence manifesting out of thin air.

The mannequin, for all of its exquisitely creepy features and imposing presence in the film, never really has its origins or its connection elucidated. It’s just there, it’s freaky, and it gets the job done. It’s established early on that Darcy’s day job is maintaining a collection of curiosities, many of which are known to be haunted or cursed, but only one of these objects gets a back story – which does end up putting a lovely button on the film for what it’s worth.

What really works for Oddity is about the atmosphere and mystery. Lots of dark and stormy nights, excellent sound design, as well as a few well-executed jump scares. McCarthy manages to create a kind of modern House of the Long Shadows vibe with Oddity, where the audience is fairly well attuned to the source of the evil, but we are still eager to see how it will play out.

Much of Oddity’s action unfolds in darkness, as storms frequently leave this estate – which is long past its prime – without power. But the darkness isn’t only on the outside, it’s also within Ted and Yana, neither of whom seem terribly excited when Darcy shows up to stay, even though she was kind of invited. Yana is eager to put Ted’s past behind them, and with Darcy around that becomes nearly impossible. As it becomes more and more clear that there is a vengeful presence among them, the tension in the atmosphere becomes suffocating, leaving no option but for someone, or some thing, to crack.

McCarthy’s second feature after 2020’s well received Caveat, Oddity is a contained but frightening piece about betrayal, lust, and revenge with a darkly spooky bent. With the support of a strong cast and technical team, he confidently crafts this effective supernatural thriller that utilizes strong performances and limited locations to tell a chilling story well worth checking out.

Review originally published during SXSW in March 2024. The film opens Friday, July 19, only in theaters, via IFC Films.