The Babadook

The Babadook

Starring Essie Davis, Daniel Henshall, Noah Wiseman, Tim Purcell

Directed by Jennifer Kent

Synopsis:
Seven years after the death of her husband, Amelia (Essie Davis) is still a broken woman.  She's depressed, she doesn't have any friends, and she spends a lot of time at home.  Her young son Samuel (Noah Wiseman) has severe developmental issues, as he's extremely violent and even crafts homemade weapons, while frightening other children and also alienating himself from anyone else.

One night Noah comes across a book at their house called Mister Babadook, and when Amelia reads it to him, it unleashes a deadly spirit into their lives, as it slowly stalks them and taunts them, slowly wearing down Amelia's mental state until it's ready to invade her body and do what it came to do - take the child.

Review:
I have heard a lot about this film but never got to see it until it came on DVD.  It received critical acclaim and was even mentioned by the director of "The Exorcist" as the the most terrifying thing he ever saw.  So when I finally got to see it, I was excited.

I wasn't disappointed.  Instead of relying on mundane cheap scares and one-note characters, "The Babadook" relies heavily on its two main leads to give a story worthy of an Academy Award.  Essie Davis especially delivers one of the best performances I've seen, not just in a horror movie, but in any movie period.  Doesn't hurt she looks like a younger Meryl Streep.  The story of Amelia is a tragic one, as she represses her grief and sadness over the loss of her husband, and the secret resentment she holds against her son.

Noah Wiseman is a revelation, a young talent that will hopefully continue to unfold over the years.  He plays the most irritating, annoying, and downright insufferable child ever, which helps the audience connect with Amelia's suffering.  Any single parent having a child like that deserves a medal, and it helps to fully connect with both characters.

As I said earlier, the film doesn't reply on the jump scares found in most horror films, but in a rather Hitchcock-ian way it slowly unfolds the story through dramatic performances and stunning cinematography, especially for a film made on such a small budget.  Plus there's the hidden meaning behind "The Babadook" monster itself - is it a real entity, or a manifestation of Amelia's suppressed grief?  Is she, in a way, causing her own haunting?  Questions like this bring "The Babadook" to a new level of horror, where it focuses on the characters and not on the creature stalking them.

Summary:
Many films don't live up to the hype it gives out.  Fortunately, "The Babadook" is one that did.

My Rating: A