Review of The Babadook (2014) by Caleb J — 01 Nov 2018

The Babadook is one of the most well made and best Horror films ever made, this is an example on how you make a true Horror film while it is also easily compared to 2018's Hereditary. The Babadook tells the story of widow Amelia Vanek who is struggling with her husband's death after a terrible accident left her with more scars that are difficult to heal.

Things couldn't get any worse when her son Samuel begins to display psychological episodes after reading a storybook about The Babadook that changes their lives forever when Amelia slowly gets terrorized by the creature itself other than her sanity slowly draining away as the pain latches on her.

The first time I heard about this film was from a reviewer saying how scary it is. Turns out that critic was right. The Babadook is a different type of Horror movie, one that does not rely on jump scares to make it scary but focuses more on bleak imagery while also telling a thought provoking story.

For those who are looking for a Horror film that is not mainstream but more of an art house, The Babadook is for you personally. It's understandable people don't like movies that uses a slow burn pace despite critics enjoying the film.

This movie proves audiences wrong as long as the marketing is handled with care, it will work well which are one of the main issues with studios like A24's Horror films like The Witch, It Comes At Night or the aforementioned Hereditary that failed to capture audiences attention but has been raved by professional critics.

When I said this film can be easily compared to Hereditary, I'm serious about it. The reason its because both films focus on the themes of grief and the pain of loss, whereas Hereditary suffered due to its cliche second half but saved by its nightmarish finale.

The Babadook keeps you glued on the edge of your seat with its slow but intriguing execution that will catch the attention of everyone looking for a roller coaster ride. The Babadook is a trip to the deterioration of humans' psychological thoughts and their imagination, everything from its outstanding character development to the haunting settings.

The Babadook is pure to perfection in terror that answers the questions on what makes a true Horror film work. Filmmaker Jennifer Kent handles the structure with patience while also trying to convince us the viewers to help our main characters as they struggle with their inner demons just as we feel for the pain they feel.

I love how the visuals for the film imitate the characters' sanity as they descend into madness throughout the movie, take the Vanek's home which is filled with depressing colors that creates a moody ambiance deep inside their emotions and feelings.

The symbolism sets the tone and pace to unexpected directions which you'll never see it coming. There are so many scenes that are packed to the brim with an unsettling feeling and scary moments (Sam displaying an episode in the car seeing the Babadook which the mom does not see at first, the coat rack at the police station with the Babadook's clothes sends a creepy shiver in my spine, the first time Amelia sees the Babadook across her neighbor's house, the terrifying nightmare sequence where the Babadook itself stalks Amelia with quick speed, the Babadook appearing on TV, the disturbing part where the Babadook book has pop up images of Amelia killing her son, dog and herself which foreshadows what will happen to her when she gets possessed, Amelia's possession from the creature, Amelia killing the dog and the terrifying finale where Sam fights her possessed mother as he gets chased by the Babadook in the house).

The soundtrack is scary and the atmosphere is so unnerving to the core. Now the acting is great, the performances of the two lead stars are fantastic and for an indie Horror film it works so well. Director and Writer Jennifer Kent has done an impressive job with her work on this film, the way she handled the aesthetic visuals including the titular creature itself is a perfect blend for the movie while also telling a powerful story and I look forward for what she's gonna do next in the future.

Overall The Babadook is a smart and terrifying Horror film that will stay with you and think twice about what's real and what's not real. This film gets an 11/10.