The Babadook is a 2014 Australian horror film written and directed by Jennifer Kent for Causeway Films. It stars Essie Davis, Hayley McElhinney and Daniel Hanshall. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, held in Utah, in January 2014.
Six years after the death of her husband, Amelia struggles to discipline her “out-of-control” six-year-old Samuel – a son she finds difficult to love. Samuel’s dreams are plagued by a monster he believes is coming to kill them both. When a disturbing storybook called “The Babadook” turns up at their house, Samuel is convinced that the Babadook is the creature he’s been dreaming about. And when Amelia begins to see glimpses of the creature herself, it slowly dawns on her that the thing Samuel has been warning her about may well be real…
‘The part of any horror movie that always seems to go wrong is the ending. Very rarely is there a satisfying conclusion to these kinds of films, but The Babadook gives us an ending that fans of the genre will love and be proud of. There’s some awesome tension and dread that builds throughout the whole film, and the payoff of it all is brilliant.’ Joey Paur, Geek Tyrant
‘Stronger in terms of its psychological unease than its fright factor, the film may spark comparison with last year’s bracing retro surprise, The Conjuring. At the risk of giving too much away, it also messes with the most sacred of familial bonds, featuring another mother gulping down a mouthful of bad energy and turning ugly on her kid. But this is a different kind of nail-biter that has less to do with demonic possession than with the renegade power of an untamed imagination.’ David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter
‘The Babadook is a mixture of haunted house flick, monster movie, and a couple other of horror subgenres I won’t mention in order to avoid spoilers. The larger point is that Kent has created a hybrid picture that attacks the viewer on multiple fronts. The Babadook is the monster whose reach extends beyond the closet, and its wrath manifests in unexpected and terrifying ways. But Kent never rushes the terror, and the dread is palatable throughout the story. Radoslaw Ladczuk’s effective cinematography adds to the moody atmosphere with its heavy use of shadow and stark contrasts. Even when the Babadook isn’t on screen, his unnerving presence is always felt.’ Matt Goldberg, Collider
Wikipedia | IMDb | Facebook | Twitter
