Review of The Babadook (2014) by Dancrum — 25 Dec 2014

My friend, who is big into horror films, demanded we watch this movie. "It's the scariest movie of the year!" she exclaimed over and over. "We have to watch it!" The scariest movie of the year? Well I have to watch that don't I? So, we did.

The thing is, I really wish we hadn't. The Babadook starts off slow, building tension between a stressed out mother and her son, who I can only assume suffers from some form of mental handicap. Throughout the first half, the film builds tension, but never enough to have you on the edge of your seat, just barely enough to keep your eyes on the screen.

The second half of the movie is even worse. There is a climax that just feels rushed and sloppy, and the ending literally caused me to throw my hands up in the air. It was just, terrible, for lack of a better word.

There is nothing scary about The Babadook. There is little even worth watching in The Babadook. The only saving grace was the beautifully crafted book they used in the movie. Outside of that one prop, this film was an utter waste of time.

It easily falls into my list of the worst films I've seen in 2014.