Is there a lot of gore in Hokum?

It's not a 'slasher' in the traditional sense, but the visions are quite graphic. It leans more into 'disturbing imagery' than constant blood-splatter, but when the gore happens, it's intense.

Is the 'witch' a real monster or just in his head?

The movie keeps it ambiguous for a long time. It’s less about a lady in a hat and more about a manifestation of Ohm's guilt and grief. Don't expect a standard monster movie.

Can a 15-year-old who likes horror watch this?

It depends on the kid, but the 17+ rating is accurate for the psychological weight. It’s a 'heavy' movie that might be more boring or confusing than scary for a younger teen, despite the horror elements.

Hokum – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Hokum

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2026

52%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

A high-brow, unsettling ghost story that trades cheap jump scares for a deep dive into the messy baggage of family grief.

89%

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Hokum

movie

R, 2026

52%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

A high-brow, unsettling ghost story that trades cheap jump scares for a deep dive into the messy baggage of family grief.

89%

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Screenwise Verdict

Hokum is the kind of 'elevated horror' that critics love and casual viewers find polarizing. It’s beautifully shot and genuinely smart, but it’s also a total downer. If you’re in the mood for a movie that makes you think about your own family baggage while scaring the pants off you, this is the one.

Don't even think about putting this on for family movie night. It’s a 'wait until the kids are in bed and you have a glass of wine' kind of film. It’s high-quality cinema, but it’s also heavy, disturbing, and deeply psychological.

Age Fit

This is strictly for adults and maybe very mature older teens. It’s a 17+ experience that deals with the heavy emotional lift of losing parents and confronting personal demons.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

The film centers on heavy themes of grief, parental loss, and psychological trauma. While it has emotional depth, its tone is intentionally unsettling and dark rather than uplifting.

Imaginative

Critics rave about the surreal visual language and the unique way it handles the 'witch' trope, blending a novelist's inner world with a potentially supernatural haunting.

Safe

With a Common Sense Media age rating of 17, this is firmly in the 'not for kids' category. Expect disturbing visions, psychological intensity, and themes of death.

Enriching

High critical scores suggest a film that rewards attention. It’s an exploration of how we process the past and the 'ghosts' left behind by family, making it a strong choice for mature viewers.

Parent Info

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Why It Might Be Great

Atmospheric tension that actually sticks with you rather than just startling you for a second.
Critical darling with an 89% on Rotten Tomatoes suggesting it's one of the standout horror-dramas of 2026.
Thematic weight for parents who want a movie that actually has something to say about the legacy of our parents.
Stellar visuals that use the remote inn setting to create a claustrophobic, dream-like experience.

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What to Watch For

The 'disturbing visions' mentioned in the synopsis are reportedly very graphic and lean into body horror and surrealism.
It’s a slow burn. If you’re looking for a fast-paced slasher, this isn't it—it's a novelist-at-an-inn mood piece that takes its time.
The 17+ rating is no joke; the psychological toll and the 'witch' sequences are designed to be genuinely traumatic for younger viewers.

Conversation Starters

"Why do you think Ohm sees his grief as a haunting witch rather than just sadness?"
"How does the setting of a 'honeymoon suite' make a story about scattering parents' ashes even weirder?"
"Do you think the 'dark corners' of Ohm's past are things he's actually done, or just things he's afraid of?"

Deep Dive

The 'Elevated' Witch

By May 2026, we've seen a lot of movies try to do what Hokum does—turn a internal psychological struggle into a literal monster. But Hokum actually pulls it off without feeling like a Hereditary clone. The novelist protagonist, Ohm Bauman, isn't particularly likable at first, which is a bold choice. He's prickly and self-absorbed, which makes his descent into the inn's mysteries feel earned rather than just a victim being targeted by a ghost.

What sets this apart is the use of the 'honeymoon suite' as the center of the haunting. It’s a clever subversion of a space that should represent new beginnings, instead filling it with the ashes of the past. The 17+ rating from Common Sense Media is largely due to the intensity of the 'visions'—think surreal, melting architecture and some pretty gnarly practical effects that represent Ohm's mental state.

If your kid is a horror fan, they might be asking to see this because of the 'witch' angle, but be warned: this isn't The Conjuring. There are no heroic priests or easy resolutions. It’s a bleak, rewarding, and visually stunning piece of work that is best enjoyed by people who have enough life experience to understand why scattering your parents' ashes might actually feel like a haunting.

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