“If its in a word, or it’s in a look, you can’t get rid of the babadook.”
You would be forgiven for thinking that the credibility of the horror genre has plateaued out as of late; after the success of the Paranormal Activity franchise it appeared that every trick in the book had been used, reused, and then used some more for good measure. Enter Jennifer Kent and her chilling tale of The Babadook, based on her short film, Monster. Centring on a single parent and her ever-increasingly problematic child, The Babadook is a harrowing insight into the disturbing realm of paedophobia and the monsters you always feared as a child.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5WQZzDRVtw?rel=0]
Time and time again audiences have been force-fed tales of wayward children and their fear of things that go bump in the night. What sets The Babadook apart from other films of the horror genre, like the recent Annabelle, is its focus on human emotion. Rather than giving us the instant shock of a BOOM BANG scare, Kent leads us on a path of terror that never diverts from family values and leaves a lingering sense of discomfort long after the end credits have rolled.
Growing increasingly more wary of her son Robbie’s obsession with monsters, and more importantly what havoc these monsters may wreak on their lives, widow Amelia is close to reaching breaking point. Matters are only made worse when Robbie asks to be read to before going to sleep. The newest edition on the bookshelf is the mysterious story of Mister Babadook, a caped creature who uses a vulnerable mother as a vessel to get his spindly Nosferatu-esque fingers on her child. The story of Mister Babadook serves as a catalyst for Robbie’s paranoia, and as his obsession grows, Amelia’s ability to handle her son in turn deteriorates.
Unlike many horror films of the modern age, the audience is never deceived by The Babadook and its intentions. As soon as the book is discovered we know the sinister desires of the creature and perhaps more disturbingly its means of getting there. Concurrently to this, Amelia is forced to face her capabilities as a mother and how far she must go to protect her child.
The Babadook has a very visceral aesthetic, using a dark colour palette to suspend the film in a setting that means the audience never quite feels at ease. Stellar performances from Essie Davis and Daniel Henshall respectively create a much-needed level of realism that serves to ground the film in everyday life, a concept that many horror films of late struggle to perfect.
In its attempts to present something refreshingly horrifying, the narrative can at times feel slightly misplaced. At some points towards the end it begins to seem like a mash-up of all the typical conventions: demonic possession, projectile vomiting, power shortages and blood-curdling screams all combine and come in close danger of inducing a bit of a headache. But it doesn’t take long for the film to right its wrongs, and the final conclusion will leave you punching the air in sheer joy thanks to its unadulterated originality.
You can watch Monster, the short film upon which The Babadook is based, here – but be warned that it does contain spoilers for the film.
The Babadook is in cinemas now.
Words by Sophie.