Oddityhas become a major streaming hit after earning 96% on Rotten Tomatoes. Directed by Damian McCarthy, the Irish horror film premiered at SXSW in spring 2024, where it was met with a glowing reception from those in attendance. Starring Carolyn Bracken, Gwilym Lee, Johnny French, Steve Wall, and Caroline Menton, among others, the Shudder original tells the story of a psychic medium as she attempts to uncover the truth about her sister’s murder, withOddityreviewspraising the scares, atmosphere, and filmmaking.
New data fromReelgoodnow reveals thatOddityranks as the tenth most popular movie on streaming in the U.S. for the week of October 3 – 9. The movie, which is available to watch on Shudder and AMC+, falls short of titles likeKiller Heat(2024),Inside Out 2(2024),Challengers(2024), andApartment 7A(2024).
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Why You Should Watch Oddity
What Critics Are Saying About The Irish Horror Movie
In addition to a strong 96% critics' score onRotten Tomatoes,Oddityhas a 77% with audiences. These scores suggest that most people who watch the movie walk away relatively satisfied, and it’s far easier for a movie to build momentum this way than if the reception was more negative. It’s possible that, with Halloween approaching,Odditywill rise in Reelgood’s streaming charts in the weeks ahead.
The 40 Best Horror Movies Of The Last Five Years, Ranked
2019-2024 marks a strong time for the horror genre, and the best horror movies of the last five years showcases exactly why.
Critics praiseOddityfor its inventive scares and haunting horror atmosphere.The film features a persistent sense of dread throughout, that makes even more straightforward dialogue scenes unnerving. This undercurrent of unease culminates in some moments of true terror throughoutOddity’s runtime, and these moments are made all the more effective due to the strong performances of cast members like Bracken, Lee, and French, among others.
Horror filmmakerMike Flanagan praisedOddityon his Letterboxd account, calling the movie “A masterclass in dread, atmosphere, and tension.”
Another major point of praise isOddity’s ending. While many horrors feature a strong premise and an intriguing mystery to get audiences hooked,critics seem to agree that McCarthy’s film sticks the landing. The final moments of the movie, without delving into spoiler territory, ultimately bring the story full circle in an effective way. The ending ultimately means thatOddityisn’t a watch-and-forget horror movie, and the experience is sure to stick with viewers even after the credits have finished rolling.
What Oddity’s Streaming Success Means For The Movie
Will There Be An Oddity 2?
It’s not clear whatOddity’s budget is, but it’s definitely a smaller film. The horror flick won the Audience Award at the Midnighter portion of SXSW before getting a limited release in the U.S. in July.Oddityultimately only grossed $1.4 million at the box office, a disappointing result but not an unexpected one as the film was evidently designed for a streaming launch. The fact that McCarthy’s movie is now a hit on streaming, however, suggests it is now benefiting from positive word-of-mouth and finding its audience.
The title marks the director’s second-ever feature-length movie after 2020’sCaveat, and the positive response suggests that McCarthy could end up becoming a major voice in the world of horror.
TheOddityending doesn’t necessarily set up a sequel, and the film, as a whole, tells a contained story. It seems unlikely, then, that the film’s streaming success will lead to a direct sequel. That being said, it is possible that,just asThe Conjuringdid,Oddity’s success could lead to an expanding of that particular universe. A spinoff, for example, could flesh out aspects of the story, or it could take place in a different era. For this to happen, however,Oddity’s strong streaming performance would have to continue over the coming weeks and months.
There are now eight movies in the largerConjuringuniverse.
What seems most likely to happen is thatOddity’s success will serve as a stepping stone for McCarthy. The title marks the director’s second-ever feature-length movie after 2020’sCaveat, and the positive response suggests that McCarthy could end up becoming a major voice in the world of horror.His next project could end up featuring a larger budgetwith some bigger-name actors.
Our Take On Oddity’s Streaming Success
With the rise of streaming, it’s now so easy for movies to get lost amid the abundance of choices available to consumers. It’s always refreshing when a title likeOdditybreaks through, boasting a fresh filmmaking voice and some genuine surprises in a genre that can sometimes feel by-the-numbers.
Oddityis just the kind ofhorror moviethat deserves to break through, and the film is a testament to what can be accomplished on a relatively low budget. McCarthy, it seems, has the potential to become a major figure in the world of horror in the years ahead.
Oddity
Cast
Grieving her twin sister’s brutal murder, blind medium Darcy uses a wooden mannequin from her curio shop to uncover the truth. As she navigates the eerie world of the supernatural, Darcy must confront dark secrets and malevolent forces tied to her sister’s untimely death.
