Review of The Oddity

The Oddity , directed by Damian McCarthy; I made the lead-in poster because I didn't feel it was ethical to copy and IMBD picture.

I wanted to see a horror flick without gushy gore flying at me from every which way. I am not saying this one didn’t have some gore; it did, but it was well-placed and furthered the story. This movie is a mystery horror and thriller.

The setting is a country manor that Ted and his wife, Dani, have remodeled. It begins with Dani there, alone, and Ted working late at the hospital for the criminally insane, where he is a doctor. Dani goes outside in the dark to look in her car, leaving the door to the manor open. Why do people in horror movies do such stupid things (that is rhetorical, folks)? When she returns to the house, there is a knock on the front door, so she opens a small sliding plate, only to be startled by the face of a man with one glass eye. He warns her of danger inside, but what is she to do? Believe him and let him in? She can’t find her phone to call the police (of course). Finally, the glass-eyed man says he will go to town and get the police.

The movie switches between the present and flashbacks. Dani is murdered, and an asylum patient is thought to be the murderer. Slowly, we discover multiple backstories, such as Dani having a twin sister, Darcy, who is a psychic and who earns her living that way, and from a small curiosity shop in which every item is haunted.

Awhile after his wife is murdered, Ted has a girlfriend and in a casual conversation, Darcy discovers this and seems shocked.

Ted’s girlfriend, Yana, a pharmaceutical rep, is bored in the manor, and Ted works long hours and night shifts. She complains, and when they are readying to go to her place, Darcy shows up with a large box and a strange item inside it. It is a bit creepy watching Darcy question Ted and Yana, and insisting on staying as an uninvited and unwelcome guest.

Now, the action begins—Ted must return to work, and Yana plans to get away from creepy Darcy, and go to her place but can’t find her car keys. There is some humor here when Yana asks, blind Darcy, if she has seen the keys. Darcy begins questioning Yana about when she met Ted and whether they had an affair while he was married to her sister. Yana’s character is my favorite, for she is vivid, unafraid, bold, and has no fear of speaking her mind.

Frightening snippets build the horror slowly, the music crescendos in points, and when you think you know what will happen, you don’t! Some cringe moments had me murmuring, “No, don’t stick your fingers in that!” The glass eye is a big part of the movie, as is the item in the box. There are surprises throughout the movie, and the ending is tied to everything that you have glimpsed, so I won’t spoil it here. Don’t ask, because I won’t tell - see the movie or read spoilers on it.

There are surprising twists, and even in the flashbacks, the viewer can’t be certain if what they see is the truth or another plot twist.

My main complaint is that like all horror movies, the characters wander around spooky places that are unlit with flashlights. They don’t look for safety, they go toward danger. The characters act like their reasoning, even their entire brain, left them. Please find a weapon and stay close to the wall; TURN ON THE LIGHTS for crying out loud!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Four Stars because of my complaints above. It is probably worth a second watch to pick up more details in the movie. I've found rewatching several times clears up questions and I see things I missed the first time around.