The Babadook, a horror film from first time writer-director Jennifer Kent, is wholly original and completely creepy. It is these things in a way that's extremely refreshing to see nowadays---it takes a psychological approach. In a lot of ways, this film is similar to two other recent flicks, this year's Enemy and 2011's We Need To Talk About Kevin but it still stands on its own two feet as an inventive and unbelievably nightmarish film.
The film stars Essie Davis as Amelia, a mother who is trying her best to raise son Samuel (Noah Wiseman) who is without a father after the dad died in a car accident driving Amelia to the hospital when she was about to give birth. Amelia seems to still have a lot of harsh feelings toward Samuel and it doesn't help that, without a father figure around, Samuel is downright demonic in the way he behaves a lot of the time. The plot finds Samuel digging up a children's book called "Mister Babadook," which seems to mysteriously be the cause of weird goings on in the household, including Amelia's strong desire to kill Samuel. The creature in the book, which is of the pop up variety, seems to enter in their lives as well but rarely physically appears, which is both one of the largest strengths of the film and a torturous happening for Amelia and Samuel.
As I mentioned, the film is very strong in the way that it rarely shows the creature. The creature is cool looking without a doubt (it looks like something that Guillermo Del Toro might do.) However, Kent knows that the film is much creepier because it makes the audience interpret what they think the creature could be, why it could be and why it's doing this to this mother and son. Even by the end, the audience still needs to think for themselves. Although Kent, to some degree, reveals what the creature is and its purpose, it still leaves a looming air of mystery for the audience to ponder on.
The acting is incredible here as well. Davis, a good actress but one that has never wowed me, is amazing here as the mother who seems sympathetic but might be even more demonic than her son. Wiseman, a first time actor, is striking as the child who seems demonic but might be more sympathetic than his mother. They work incredibly well together and play off the fact that both might not be as good or bad as they appear to be very well.
The other aspect that works brilliantly in this film is the aforementioned psychological approach to the horror. This film is not like modern day horror garbage that relies on jump scares or explanations of possession. The scariest thing in this film is just how sad this whole situation is. It's creepy to see a parent try to connect with their child so much and come out with nothing but hatred. I am not a parent but I imagine having a child and watching this may very well be an impossible task. The idea of someone like Amelia dragging down someone like Samuel with her as she tries to cope with her own depression is terrible to see and truly disturbing.
With The Babadook, writer-director Kent proves that she is a force to be reckoned with. For a first timer on both fronts, she writes and directs with such ease and atmospheric/situation based tension that it makes the audience wonder and thoroughly anticipate what this talent is going to do next.
(5 out of 5 Stars, The film is Not Rated)
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