FEAR THE UNKNOWN…AND THE BABADOOK
Movie Review – “The Babadook”
Review by Ray Schillaci
What made Freddy (“A Nightmare on Elm Street”) and Michael (“Halloween”) so unique in their day was the introduction of their characters. And, what really chilled us to the bone was the allusiveness to the answer of who or what was really possessing Regan in “The Exorcist”. It was that unknown factor set in a real life setting that made that film far more than a classic in horror genre. It broke the mold and stood up with the best of mainstream cinema. Director Jennifer Kent manages to do all of the above with the introduction of her boogeyman in “The Babadook”.
Kent’s film, as with so many films of this genre, does have noticeable influences, but in no way shape or form does it ever become a pale imitation. It echoes Polanski’s “Repulsion,” Friedkin’s “The Exorcist” and has hints of Richard Donner’s “The Omen”. But this film also remains modest in its scares and prefers to merely ratchet up the tension with characters rather than special effects. But make no mistake, Kent does not cheap out on the visual scares when called for. The Babadook is one of the eeriest and most frightening characters in the last ten years, possibly tying with the final reveal of the thing from Spain’s “(Rec)”.
Amelia, a widow and single mom, is continuously battling despair and grief while trying to raise her difficult 10 year-old child, Sam. It does not help matters for either one that the sudden death of the husband/father in an auto accident had taken place the very day her child was born. Sam has become obsessed with monsters since he found a book in the house detailing the scary goings-on of the “Babadook”.
Sam becomes increasingly more difficult; creating weapons and traps for the imaginary creature. Kids in school and the very school itself begin to shun him for his odd behavior. Amelia finds herself floundering, barely able to even keep her relationship going with her sister and friendly old neighbor due to her odd child. Bizarre events take place in the house having Amelia and ourselves question her sanity all the while having Sam insisting upon the dangers of the Babadook.
Soon the creature not only haunts Sam, but it creeps into Amelia’s psyche as well. This creates a real danger to the boy through the grieving and overwrought mother. Director Kent brings us to the very edge of our seat with the help of her two leads Essie Davies (Amelia) and Noah Wiseman (Sam), along with a disturbing visual sense that cannot help make one wonder what is real and what is being made up in one’s mind. The production as a whole resembles the look of the famous German expressionistic films of the 1920s (i.e. “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari”) and it tends to throw us off balance, putting us directly in Amelia’s mind.
Davies delivers a very likable and earthy woman who we can easily empathize with. But her spiral descent into the world of the Babadook is a serious game changer. She is that ugly force of every child’s nightmare version of a parent gone wrong. The kind that is brought to the breaking point and God help us with what comes next. Essie Davies commands the screen with a stirring performance that is near dizzying in its emotions.
Young Noah Wiseman starts off as so many normal rambunctious children, but then his cuteness wears thin as he becomes more obsessed. As much as we find him annoying, he is also able to have us care when things get genuinely frightening for him. He manages to ensnare our emotions as the menace grows and we admire him for his conviction when it comes to protecting himself and the mother he loves.
What makes “The Babadook” so fascinating and surreal is that it does not provide pat answers as to the strange occurrences. The tale is filled with mystery and one comes out with more questions than answers. But director Jennifer Kent does this with purpose. She is meticulous with this near parable of the fears and frailty of single parenting. On the surface some may feel that she is diverting us with moments of weirdness. But after much careful thought, one may realize that “The Babadook” is a complex story of angst, grief and the power of love battling our worst fears and another staple to be reckon with in the horror genre.
Directed by: Jennifer Kent
Release Date: November 28, 2014
Run Time: 93 Minutes
Country: Australia
Rated: NR
Distributor: Causeway Films
