Object Sentience in Horror: Oddity Review

By: Myriam Akbar

Oddity is a 2024 supernatural horror film that fulfilled my wish for more films involving object sentience in the genre. Within it we’ve seen: talking dolls, personified hotels, killer mirrors, and even deadly vehicles. Most times the origin of sentience is explained through means of possession (Child’s Play, for example) or other times through means of technology (Megan). The plot follows a clairvoyant cabinet of curiosities shopkeeper, investigating the murder of her twin sister. Offering a new take on object sentience, Darcy (the protagonist) uses information gathered from the psychic readings of her shop items to get revenge. Well received and praised, this is a must-watch horror film of the year. 

Much of the story acts as a psychological thriller, shrouded in suspicion as the murder mystery unfolds. There’s a constant dreadful mood and dark atmosphere. The jump scares pair well with the terrifying appearance of the entities. The chilling visual imagery was effective, especially the wooden mannequin who with simplicity gave me the creeps. Similarly, the auditory imagery of the bell sound in the last scene. The acting is great and it’s shot well. There is a twist regarding who committed the murder, but I predicted it early so it didn’t have much impact for me. I felt in certain moments the emphasis on suspension gave it away. Nonetheless, the story and scares are worth the way because not all that’s entertaining needs to be shocking. I truly think there’s potential for a sequel, but I can’t say why without spoiling a big part of the movie. It’s still fun to keep in mind as you watch though. 

In my top ten list, I almost gave this film the number one spot because of how unique and eerie it is. If you’re a fan of jump-scares, you should definitely check this out because one of them definitely got me. It’s a refreshing and clever expression of things-that-go-bump-in-the-night, available to watch on Shudder.

Photo Cred: Wikipedia.com