i saw hokum and i didnt like it overall
im not sure if this is a controversial take ? also a big big BIG disclaimer !as i was watching it i felt that there were probably some pretty deep narrative layers that were going over my head. i think this movie was trying to do... something that i wasnt picking up on. i just want to be honest about that
there were a few things i think Hokum did pretty well. i liked the story that Ohm was writing, and i liked that it was a mirror for his own life. in a desert, seeking something he cant attain, enacting violence against a younger version of himself to try and find it, and wandering out into the desert after this attempt is unsuccessful to die. a man endlessly punishing himself, desperate for peace he wont allow himself to have. neglecting the needs of the traumatized child within him. in the end, he changes the ending to be kind toward both parts of himself. i just wish the journey to get to this point made his clarity feel earned
there were definitely a lot of things being said about women in this film. the witch is locked away by a man, and Fiona is the only one who wants to go and see if she's really there. Ohms mother is kind and compassionate and understanding of his mistake even though she lost her life because of it. Jerry killed his wife, seemingly deciding for her that her sickness was too great a burden to carry. Fiona was locked away and left to either be killed by a witch or starve to death, with the child of the man who doomed her to this fate dying with her. what this is trying to say exactly . . . is hard to pinpoint without rewatching it. women suffer? not exactly ground breaking, but thanks for trying
that's all the "positives" i have really. the cinematography didnt really stand out to me. the story felt bloated. it was weighed down by too many ideas. none of the side characters really got a chance to shine. lots of things felt like they could have been cut... why did we need both a flashback to show how Fiona ended up dead, and her explaining on the tape recorder how she ended up dead. why did they reveal the Big Twist, that Ohm killed his mom, so early into the movie. the rabbit monster felt so cheesy to me, speaking through the screen to a man who is already dealing with ghosts and a witch and PTSD and a dead pregnant woman, all on top of being help prisoner. and so many unanswered questions ! why did the bellhop drug him. who were those little boys. why did the hotel owner have a witch locked in the honeymoon suite. who is the owner ?!? gah ! maybe these are all answered in subtext, but i wasnt able to pick up on it. also there were so many jumpscares. i got a bad feeling right after the very first one but i let it slide because i wanted this movie to be good. it really wasnt
sooo yeah... a big disappointment </3 so sad !