By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.75 cats
Director: Jennifer Kent
Starring: Barbara West | Daniel Henshall | Essie Davis | Hayley McElhinney | Noah Wiseman
Country: australia
Year: 2014
Running time: 93
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2321549/combined
Kyle says: “THE BABADOOK is a slick well-made horror genre item that sets up the events to follow with a car speeding to local hospital with mother in labor crashing and killing the father. It follows logically that the relationship between 7-year-old Samuel (Noah Wiseman) and mother Amelia (Essie Davis) will be severely tested. That comes with the appearance of a mysterious book called The Babadook, the illustrator for which seems to have been inspired by Edward Gorey. Mr. Babadook issues various threats, including ultimately ripping out your insides, and mother decides the book is unsuitable for her son. But the book won’t go away, as things go bump in the night. And bump. And bump. Also bang, pound, boom, crash, shake, rattle, and levitate both objects and humans. Basically a story of possession — in this case mother Amelia — the film offers at least one line rarely if ever heard in a film. Samuel irritatingly awakens the sleep-deprived Amelia once too often with hunger pains, and she barks at him, ‘Why don’t you just go EAT SHIT?!’ When we finally see the Babadook, he looks much like the Somnambulist Cesare in THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI (1920), although he can dematerialize and crawl across ceilings. All ends well after a sort-of exorcism. At 95 minutes, the film seems overstretched but offers some shivers and a few laughs, and one looks forward to future projects by clearly talented director Jennifer Kent. 3 cats
“Seen Saturday, March 22, 2014, New Directors/New Films at the Walter Reade Theater, Film Society of Lincoln Center, New York.”
Jason says: “I love kids, at least from the perspective of being an uncle; I fear that as an actual parent, I would identify far too much with certain parts of THE BABADOOK to be much of a good person, let alone parent. There’s no mistaking that this is one of those horror movies where the monster is inspired by specific fears and nightmares, but it’s also one where the specificity of its metaphor doesn’t hurt it being scary at all.
“You’ll be forgiven for thinking the film’s primary monster is six-year-old Samuel (Noah Wiseman), an inventive kid but one who never stops screaming for attention, doesn’t listen, and otherwise makes life difficult for widowed mother Amelia (Essie Davis) – and, yes, he’s well aware that his father died the day he was born. He builds wooden weapons to combat the monsters he still believe are hiding under his bed, the latest of which is The Babadook, a dark creature in a top hat with giant weapons for hands, which he learns of in a pop-up book that appeared in the house without explanation. Maybe there’s a Babadook, maybe not, but when Samuel gets expelled from school, it’s trouble for Essie either way.
“A nightmare, really; writer/director Jennifer Kent doesn’t have Davis or Wiseman hold back much at all. Samuel just doesn’t stop, and while he’s not quite shrill, he’s written as a very difficult child, the sort where even if he turns out to be right about this monster, it’s not going to make Amelia look the fool for doubting him or being frustrated, as is often the case. (Bonus: The other kids are not made to look like little angels in comparison.) Davis, meanwhile, is made to look like Amelia hasn’t slept in ages; to look at her from the start is to see someone who is just physically exhausted.
“Essie Davis is great in all facets here. For as much as Amelia is tremendously frustrated with Samuel and generally ground down, there’s also never any doubt that she loves him very much, even as those extremes push her toward moments that could easily come off as too much. It’s a terrific performance under any circumstances, and not one you’ll often find at the center of a horror movie. The cast is tight, with Noah Wiseman doing similarly strong work as Samuel – similarly, he’s great for one so young – and Barbara West contributing the occasional grounding necessary as their elderly next-door neighbor.
“Those who come to be scared don’t just have to settle for what it’s like to have disobedient children, though; Kent amplifies that feeling and concentrates it into a supernatural villain that works in large part for how sparingly he is used, keeping to corners and a few effects scenes but still present through various fake-outs and a nightmarish children’s book. The climax is tricky – it’s clear from the foreshadowing that some of Samuel’s bad behavior is going to have to be put to use, along with an amount of sheer willpower that may not quite fit with the story being told.
“It’s still thrilling, though, which is the important part. THE BABADOOK knows where it’s coming from and mines that place for all it can get, but it’s generally effective and scary enough that those of us without kids can still have a good jolt. 4 cats
“Seen 20 September 2014 in Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar #1 (Fantastic Fest, DCP)”
Michael says: “This Australian horror movie has gotten a lot of indie buzz lately, with some critics even going so far as to say Australian actress Essie David deserves an Oscar nomination. I don’t have any say about that, but she definitely deserves a Chlotrudis nomination as a woman driven to edge of madness by her challenging son and a dark, malevolent spirit that has taken up residence in her home. The thrills avoid gore, so this is just my type of horror film. Smart, well-written, scary… writer/director Jennifer Kent deserves some awards attention as well. 4 cats”