The Babadook (2014)

Jennifer Kent's first long feature debut is a well-crafted horror film, and I'm not talking about the typical jump-scares and gore that frequents the genre these days. This is a different matter entirely. Amelia is a mother to a six-year-old boy called Samuel. He's rather afraid of monsters, though she tries to convince him they aren't real, he seems to be under the belief they very much are. Making weapons and preparing himself to protect her and him from them. His beliefs take a rather nasty turn when he wants her to read from a book called: The Babadook. It's a pop-up book about a monster called Mr Babadook. Samuel does what he always does, is terrified, while his mother lets him sleep in her bed. much to her frustration.

But in the end, it seems that The Babadook is someone you can't ignore.

Spine-tingling is the kind of horror I enjoy, where sound comes forward and plays. The film uses that efficiently, emphasizing certain things and knowing where to stop. It's a brilliant design that can't be ignored, and adds a greater triumph to the film. Filming and acting, all of it is top-notch with Essie Davis doing a brilliant job as Amelia, the less than happy mother. Noah Wiseman plays her son, and does a magnificent job in holding up against her, as he is convincing in his display, playing a rather singular child with a vivid imagination.

The thing that makes this film is that it isn't typical, and has a much deeper meaning which you can dig into properly (whether in confusion or amazement). Regularly with much of the films out there, they begin well, but don't complete in the way they should. This film, however, does the job, and sits with you until the end of the credits. It preys on those fears one had as a child, of the boogeyman, of the dark, of the things one couldn't understand, and it does it well. Let yourself be thrilled and appreciate this little overlooked gem for what it is.

10/10