‘The Babadook’ – Film Review
- the-thread
- Oct 27, 2014
- 2 min read
It seems the horror genre has been left to gather dust this past year in favour of the superhero movie, even by studios renowned for their horror icons. So if you take time to see any chiller or thriller this year, make it the ‘ba-ba badook, dook, dook’…
By A-Jay Hackett
Australian breakthrough director Jennifer Kent bursts into the film industry with a determination rarely seen, with her directorial debut ‘The Babadook’. Based on her early career short film simply named ‘Monster’, with ‘The Babadook’ she not only does her original concept justice, but she also landed a premier spot on the official selection for Sundance Festival 2014.
The story follows an unhinged mother, Amelia (Essie Davis), as she struggles to cope with – and even love – her son, six year old Samuel (Noah Wiseman). Blaming him for the death of her husband she tirelessly tries to assuage his insistence of the presence of a monster in their house, while trying desperately not to hate him. The consequence of an unrequited mother-son relationship is the horrific inner battle that ensues in the climax as the lingering threat of the Babadook becomes ever more imposing.
Using only puppetry and stop motion, Jennifer Kent teases images of a monster dancing through the plot, leaving half of you desperate to see what’s underneath, and the other half cowering with closed eyes. A quintessential top hat perched atop a sharp shadow is artistry enough to send a shiver down any spine.
‘The Babadook’ has seen tremendous success for an independent film funded almost purely through kick-starter, including an award win for best actress for the lead, Essie Davis. There is a heart-breaking violence that lingers inside the narrative. Kent poses more of an emotional volatility than a physical one, proving powerful right to the end.
If you take time to see ‘The Babadook’, be sure not to expect horror in the traditional form of gore, murder or torture. Instead you’ll find an even worse on screen enigma – for what could be more terrifying than a mother who doesn’t love her son.
Comentários