I loved the film. It is really disturbing and does stay with you. I disagree with some of Mark's comments about her being scared of her child though. In my opinion The Babadook represented her depression that she was struggling to control. She resented her child and was finding it hard to love or even like him at times. When The Babadook eventually consumed her this was her giving into the depression. But she fights it and controls it. Keeping it in the basement is just her way of being able to go somewhere quiet to get her feelings of grief and depression out away from her child and keeping it in check.
I know this is an old comment, but yes, resentment is what I saw as well. Literally just watched this film after finally getting around to it and wasn't disappointed. Excellent movie.
Yeah i agree with u. I dont think shes scared of the kid i think its her descent into madness stress n no sleep can cause. At one point i thought the book was gonna be real but everything else was gonna be in her head like all from her going mad. Where did that book even come from!?!
I don't think Mark meant she was afraid of her child in that she was worried about what he would do to her, but frightened about what he is thinking, doing, what he will do to others. He's an unpredictable force, and her son's behaviour is part of the reason why she is an outcast.
It's telling that most negative criticism seems to stem from parts of the plot being "unexplained". The film works on an emotional and metaphorical level. It is not a fantasy story about a magic book.
pricklyphlox The babadook itself is a metaphor for grief. You can't get rid of the babadook. Note how the film uses the tropes of 'possession' horror films to communicate the intense mood swings brought on by intense grief and loss. "Let me in" is a way of using child's book tropes, in this case the big bad wolf, as an analogy for allowing oneself to succumb to these feelings of intense grief. There are a lot of other examples throughout the film, but just thinking of the film again as if it didn't have a paranormal element at all is a good starting point. The 'monster' is not hiding under your bed, it's hiding deep inside you.
+DanceLikeANitwit Very nicely explained! Better than a lot of film writing. Now you have me thinking it should not have been marketed as horror. Cheers.
pricklyphlox yeah the problem people have probably stems from the marketing! It's one of those unfortunate cases. It's more of a psychological drama if anything. Glad you managed to decipher my rambling haha. Thanks.
Finally watched this on Netflix, had high expectations and it it lived up to them. Really good, even when you figure out exactly what the reality of the film is, it still surprises and creeps you out.
really? I don't get whats scary at all about it. I went into it having too high expectations because everybody said it was scary. Could you tell me why you thought it was scary?
Absolutely love the film! One of my faves now. The only complain I could make is that some of the Babadook sounds are 90's stock sounds that have been overused like the growls that most of us recognize from the videogame Doom. And one thing that Mark don't say is that part of the budget was kickstarted, wich is fenomenal. I hope to see more movies from Jennifer Kent in the future, that's for sure!
Babadook = A bad book really liked this film. requires a bit of thought so if you don't get it, don't be put off by looking up explanations to the film. you'll see it in a whole different light and make you a smarter person.
ok guys my take on the babadook, let me know what you think. So the babadook is made both for your thinkers(look for deeper meaning and messages, themes etc in movies)and your typical movie goer who likes special effects, monsters i.e typical superficial elements of horror movies, and if you take just these superficial elements into your opinion of it, then its still an alright horror by todays standards. BUT, if you look closely, the movie left a trail of breadcrumbs, that if followed, will show you its awesome badass secret and in my opinion the true ending. I feel there are 2 ways of looking at it. 1. THE BABADOOK IS REAL(omg :o ), a family is haunted by an evil ghost called the babadook and eventually beat it by being brave/believing in themselves/loving each other(unity at the end between mum and son) blah blah blah, basically the plot to any generic horror movie involving a ghost. OR... 2. (brace yourself for breadcrumbs)THE BABADOOK IS A METAPHORE!!! (omg no way :0 ) ok so, its obviously hinted that the babdook is possibly in the moms head and that shes just going insane. BUT, how does the director tell us this? First of all, kind old lady nextdoor asks is mom alright as she is "always bad at this time of the year" (coming up to her husbands anniversary/kids birthday(same day) ) so we know her mental health has definatly wavered at this time of the year in the past. Second, when they read the full babadook book, the last words are "when you see its face you'll wish you were dead" (the book is of the babadook murdering the dog, boy and woman). Now guys, when you think about this on a personal level, what face could you see, that commited these absolutly evil, derranged, atrocities, that would make you wish you were dead, think of the scariest face ever! im guessing you dont feel like killing yourself when you think of ghosts/monsters? so what face could it be???... your own face. for me, the only face, that killed these people(&dog), that could scare me so much id want to kill myself is my own face. Have a think about it. Finally, the t.v show. So mom is watching T.V late at night, twitching like a lunatic, and something strange comes on telly. Now its very late, im not sure was she doped up but definatly at this stage losing her mind combined with sleep deprivation. The T.V shows a news report of a tragedy of a mother who murdered her son(and maybe dog, i cant remember) and then killed herself. It shows in the corner of the screen, as a body is being stretchered out, moms face looking out the window(i think this is the directors way of letting us know that she can see this situation through her own eyes and not just the t.v).The report states that it was the little boys birthday. Now maybe this was just a random news report that had nothing to do with the movie, or maybe it was a psychotic hallucination of a subconcious plan forming in the mothers mind as it slowly broke trying to deal with husbands death and sons perpetual misbehaviour. So the final scene, is her in the garden, just after "feeding the babadook" (i feel this is her accepting her insanity/pain and metaphorically feeding/nurturing/ and even loving it). Its her sons birthday (woohoo everyones happy, mom and son cuddling, good times ahead) and this is the scene i feel that the director left ambiguous so the simple story of the babadooks defeat and taming could be taken OR... for those who paid close attention to the hints left through the movie, the mom cuddles and caresses her son as its her last time holding him alive, because its his birthday, and what happens on the little mans birthday guys? (pssssp look above at the t.v show section!) ok so thats my thoughts on it, let me know what you think guys. would love to hear any additions/critisisms to them. And yes i know my grammer/general english isnt great, im not trying to impress with it. Its my ideas im hoping youll enjoy :D PEACE
I love this film, a really decent horror! I thought that it really smartly tied the mother's denial of her grief with her denial of the Babadook. The acting and story were great, and the overall atmosphere was pretty heavy. Decent stuff, way more thoughtful than the usual modern slasher - maybe that's why some people didn't get it?
As an only child raised by a single mother this film is literally the stuff of my nightmares (my mum's lovely by the way, hence nightmares.) I can't imagine how people from different backgrounds could find it as terrifying, but it's great to see that they do. I just watched Jennifer Kent's short film 'Monster' and that has filled me with even more dread, I can't wait to see what she does next. This has been a fantastic year for female performances. For me Essie Davies, Julianne Moore and Rosamund Pike have all been Oscar worthy. I hope Rosamund wins, either an Oscar or a Kermode award.
Saw it for the first time last night, very impressive. The mother & son were played brilliantly, and the Babadook itself wasn't shown too much, which was a good thing.
I thought the film was going to be about a little monster that goes around leaving spooky pop-up books on peoples' doorsteps and then terrorising them if they dare read it. It's nothing like that at all. Still good tho.
Just watched it an hour ago, it is a legitimately scary movie!! Its been a long while since i was really watching it between my fingers, v scary and its quite a simple way. All fear in your mind type stuff, i like howthey managed to get a 15 rating too
no not that,I see a lot of Indie films and like the majority of them. The first half was great, a nice slow build up, which has been ages since a horror has done (and done well). It was engaging and interesting but the 2nd half was just….well nothing really happened and then the ending was just stupid. I really wanted to love this cause it seemed like a more traditional horror but by the end it just felt kinda rushed and nothing at all was really answered.
I don't mind them not answering certain things, as most things in horrors are best left unknown but the ending just felt really rushed and when it was the end I just felt like 'was that it?'
andyscoot43 Exactly. Well said. At the end of it the only question I had was; was the book also just a manifestation of the mother's psyche or was it actually real? I'm pretty sure it was real and the mother herself made it out of her own resentment for her son. That explains why the book just appeared out of nowhere in the home. It also explains why it wasn't complete at first. The mother's hands were also filthy with pencil lead or something while at the police station. Great film.
People go into this film with the wrong expectations. It's not a traditional horror film, man wearing mask hides in wardrobe with big knife and terrorises high school students, or whatever premise the run of the mill slasher films take on nowadays. This is psychological horror, at its best. It's about the manifestation of feelings, and the sheer terror of those feelings and the unknown. I've seen it and think it's a really good, well made film with great performances and some genuinely scary moments. Just because you don't understand or get something doesn't mean it's a bad movie. If you're truly passionate about films you'll look behind what's being conveyed and look for the messages the film is trying to get across. If horror to you is things like paranormal activity or whatever people flock to the cinemas in their masses to see now ( I swear people only go as everyone is watching it and it's the cool, fashionable thing to say you love these films even if you don't) but the babadook is now up there with the conjuring, the exorcist and let me in as my fave horrors.
Just watched it, it's incredibly well done. Shudder inducing. The ending doesn't let it down but underlines the story. Like the way Mr. Babadook is never seen full-on in the way Freddy Kruger or even the Alien would be, just melting into the shadows or slithering along the ceiling.
When I finished the film, i was just a little put out by how it ended, with it not completely making sense to me at the time, but it really stayed with me and festered in my brain, and might be one of the most disturbing films despite the fact that the only thing that dies in the movie (spoilers) is the dog. Turns out the scariest thing in the world isn't the babadook, but the way it manifests itself in the mother
Such a great film which just proves to me how crappy most of the modern jumpscare dependant horror films are these days. Kind of has a exorcist mixed with the shining feel. Now i'm going to go in case he's watching!
The Babadook is a film i think people need to go and watch more than once to truly understand what it's trying to bring across to its audience. For me it was very clever and genuinely freaky, a deeply psychological and unsettling experience.
This guy gets it! I thought the babadook was a really good movie and I haven't felt so freaked out in a long time. jump scares are just boring and cliché.
Interesting to see Mark miss the point of the film. The babadook is a representation of depression, its not a real, physical entity. The other thing to take away from the film is how grief not only affects you, but those around you. Its a terrifying observation on the stages of grief, the effect that has on others, how individuals deal with it and most importantly that there can be a positive outcome when you reach the stage of acceptance. Mental health issues dont go away, but you can manage them. Thats the journey of The Babdook and i dont say this as someone who's only recently seen the film. I saw it on release and have my own personal issues with mental health and grief that i have learned to deal with.
I've never been more unsettled and creeped out watching a horror movie than I was with The Babadook. No other horror movie has done that for me, except maybe The Exorcist.
I can't understand why it takes Mark six minutes into his review before he explains what happened to the protagonist - Husband dies on the way to taking his wife to the delivery room.
I am generally no fan of horror. But since this movie gets a lot of praise for not just being scary but being an emotional story in it's core. I am a fan for Pan's Labyrinth for a lot of reasons ,well who isn't, but for a big part for it's strange and nasty emotional core. So would be this movie for me?
I've wanted to see this all year but many people are reluctant to go with me...doesn't help it's barely showing in any cinemas nearby! Hope I get to see it soon - I'm really into traditional horror...my favourites being things like The Exorcist and Ju-On: The Grudge...both the kind of films of which this film appears to hark back to to an extent
I can't even google the name anymore because I don't want to come across another image or shot of the Babadook. When a movie unsettles me to that point, I know the film has succeeded in it's goal.
i really liked the movie, and i AM attached to the movie , emotionally. in fact, i got an inspiration of a romance novel from the movie... i do a lil bit of writing
I just don't see what's so special about it. It has a very good lead performance and its scary but its really not that different from The Conjuring and a dozen of those haunted house movies. It encompasses all those ideas about being scared of the children through cliches like rattling furniture and bumps in the night. The guy from Snowtown is in the movie and they don't even use him.
Director Jennifer Kent delivers A horror film that deals with the fear of parents afraid of things they can't see in A stylish & very original horror film that’s destined to be A classic. (93%) (4.5/5 stars) (positive)
Just seen it and I have to say I'm very disappointed. It's definitely a smart film and I actually love the ideas (particularly the ending and what it represents) and it's even very well-acted (really good central performance), well-directed (beautiful cinematography!) and has a good score. However, it didn't scare/creep me out one bit (or at least not nearly as much as I wanted it to) and most of the third act (excluding the ending) was even completely silly (the entire episode when she becomes "possessed" by the Babadook and screams around in "overacting" mode in a seemingly distorted voice reminded me of the similarly unscary and disappointing last act of the Conjuring). Some moments even seemed somewhat cheesy and heavy-handed like the husband appearing several times even though I understand that that's part of the film's exploration of the mother's grief. The biggest disappointment for me, though, is that it didn't move me as much as a I wanted it to (that would have made up for a lack of scares, I could have "accepted" it as a convincing drama). Altogether it reminds me of another film I watched after hearing Mark recommend it and then I was disappointed and susprised by the lack of scares and that film is Cronenberg's film the Brood which also has similar interesting ideas I liked - I imagine possibly even being an inspiration on this one. I wish I enjoyed this film as much as most other people did.
A good movie, but in a lot of ways it reminded me of The Exorcist, and the special effects were like Paranormal Activity, like when the boy gets pulled upstairs by an invisible force, then slammed against the wall and the mother and son land on the bed and the bed shakes violently, lifts, etc. It just wasn't original enough for me and could have easily been better without the typical horror cliches.
You say it's half way between pure horror and character study, that's because it's about the horror experienced by the character. See? That's how 2 ideas merge...
I really enjoyed the film, however I was left with more questions then answers. Looking forward to watching again so I can work out what happened. This should be no reflection on the film, but more that I must be too stupid to get it.
God bless the Good Doctor. Seriously. He is the only film critic whose opinion I genuinely pay attention to and this review is a perfect example of why.
Great scary movie. Reminded me of "The Ring". Outstanding monster, great characters and a storyline that twists and turns right to the end. More cerebral than most films in this genre. A+
Just watched, very good movie. Personally I think the ending symbolizes the conquer of fear which never goes away, you have to manage it on a daily basis.
I was ery disappointed with it. I loved the mother son stuff and the babadook, but towards the last half hour it went completely nuts. Hated, HATED that part.
The second half was better IMO. I didn't think of it as a straight up horror film though. It was more a psychological horror film about grief and depression and it really delivered. As a standard horror film I think some people might be disappointed.
***** how do you explain the kid seeing the babadook at the aunt's house when the mother wasn't there and the kid was talking to the babadook while the aunt and cousin watched him talk to the "air" (i'm not mocking you im honestly curious)
***** Is that what was going on? Hmm that slipped past me and everyone I was watching it with. That's an interesting idea but I don't think it worked. The ending felt very weak and out of place compared to how strong everything else was. I wasn't expecting a cliche run of the mill horror film but there really was no payoff in the end for me. The idea of The Babadook was very cool, but ultimately I can't shake off the feeling that it missed its mark somewhere.
So was there a boogeyman or was mom losing her marbles? The only power in this film was it made me go back and forth with the this is real or no, this is suggestive. This was too Dr. Fraud to be a horror movie. The kid was better than Van Helsing, Dr. Loomis, and Peter Vincent combined! Lol
Excellent film. Miles above the usual horror film. Genuinely unsettling and it works on many levels.
7:06 Kermode's review
I loved the film. It is really disturbing and does stay with you. I disagree with some of Mark's comments about her being scared of her child though. In my opinion The Babadook represented her depression that she was struggling to control. She resented her child and was finding it hard to love or even like him at times. When The Babadook eventually consumed her this was her giving into the depression. But she fights it and controls it. Keeping it in the basement is just her way of being able to go somewhere quiet to get her feelings of grief and depression out away from her child and keeping it in check.
That's exactly what I saw too. I don't really think she was scared of him at all...
I know this is an old comment, but yes, resentment is what I saw as well. Literally just watched this film after finally getting around to it and wasn't disappointed. Excellent movie.
Yeah i agree with u. I dont think shes scared of the kid i think its her descent into madness stress n no sleep can cause. At one point i thought the book was gonna be real but everything else was gonna be in her head like all from her going mad. Where did that book even come from!?!
I don't think Mark meant she was afraid of her child in that she was worried about what he would do to her, but frightened about what he is thinking, doing, what he will do to others. He's an unpredictable force, and her son's behaviour is part of the reason why she is an outcast.
A highly acclaimed modern horror film and Mark likes it very much? I need to see this immediately.
It's up there with the dark and wicked. Very well done. Very unsettling. Characters aren't stupid, which is refreshing
It's telling that most negative criticism seems to stem from parts of the plot being "unexplained".
The film works on an emotional and metaphorical level. It is not a fantasy story about a magic book.
+DanceLikeANitwit What was the metaphor?
pricklyphlox The babadook itself is a metaphor for grief. You can't get rid of the babadook. Note how the film uses the tropes of 'possession' horror films to communicate the intense mood swings brought on by intense grief and loss. "Let me in" is a way of using child's book tropes, in this case the big bad wolf, as an analogy for allowing oneself to succumb to these feelings of intense grief. There are a lot of other examples throughout the film, but just thinking of the film again as if it didn't have a paranormal element at all is a good starting point. The 'monster' is not hiding under your bed, it's hiding deep inside you.
+DanceLikeANitwit Very nicely explained! Better than a lot of film writing. Now you have me thinking it should not have been marketed as horror. Cheers.
pricklyphlox yeah the problem people have probably stems from the marketing! It's one of those unfortunate cases. It's more of a psychological drama if anything. Glad you managed to decipher my rambling haha. Thanks.
Ohh I can't say I've seen that, I'll add it to the list though! I hope to concur very soon haha.
Finally watched this on Netflix, had high expectations and it it lived up to them. Really good, even when you figure out exactly what the reality of the film is, it still surprises and creeps you out.
This has to be one of Mark's most glowing and flowing reviews
The clip they showed looked creepy. Finally a decent looking horror film.
The only horror film that's ever truly scared me. Perfectly executed. Her performance was phenomenal.
really? I don't get whats scary at all about it. I went into it having too high expectations because everybody said it was scary. Could you tell me why you thought it was scary?
dragged in the middle, but what a fantastic ending! we must all accept and even nurture our shadow/dark side.
Absolutely love the film! One of my faves now. The only complain I could make is that some of the Babadook sounds are 90's stock sounds that have been overused like the growls that most of us recognize from the videogame Doom.
And one thing that Mark don't say is that part of the budget was kickstarted, wich is fenomenal. I hope to see more movies from Jennifer Kent in the future, that's for sure!
I saw it it's absolutely brilliant!! Got really subtle psychological subtext to it definitely go and see it!!!
Babadook = A bad book
really liked this film. requires a bit of thought so if you don't get it, don't be put off by looking up explanations to the film. you'll see it in a whole different light and make you a smarter person.
+jherrenor Dadabook
Mark's view on what horror is supposed to be is beautiful and everything I believe
ok guys my take on the babadook, let me know what you think. So the babadook is made both for your thinkers(look for deeper meaning and messages, themes etc in movies)and your typical movie goer who likes special effects, monsters i.e typical superficial elements of horror movies, and if you take just these superficial elements into your opinion of it, then its still an alright horror by todays standards. BUT, if you look closely, the movie left a trail of breadcrumbs, that if followed, will show you its awesome badass secret and in my opinion the true ending.
I feel there are 2 ways of looking at it.
1. THE BABADOOK IS REAL(omg :o ), a family is haunted by an evil ghost called the babadook and eventually beat it by being brave/believing in themselves/loving each other(unity at the end between mum and son) blah blah blah, basically the plot to any generic horror movie involving a ghost.
OR...
2. (brace yourself for breadcrumbs)THE BABADOOK IS A METAPHORE!!! (omg no way :0 )
ok so, its obviously hinted that the babdook is possibly in the moms head and that shes just going insane. BUT, how does the director tell us this?
First of all, kind old lady nextdoor asks is mom alright as she is "always bad at this time of the year" (coming up to her husbands anniversary/kids birthday(same day) ) so we know her mental health has definatly wavered at this time of the year in the past.
Second, when they read the full babadook book, the last words are "when you see its face you'll wish you were dead" (the book is of the babadook murdering the dog, boy and woman). Now guys, when you think about this on a personal level, what face could you see, that commited these absolutly evil, derranged, atrocities, that would make you wish you were dead, think of the scariest face ever! im guessing you dont feel like killing yourself when you think of ghosts/monsters? so what face could it be???... your own face. for me, the only face, that killed these people(&dog), that could scare me so much id want to kill myself is my own face. Have a think about it.
Finally, the t.v show. So mom is watching T.V late at night, twitching like a lunatic, and something strange comes on telly. Now its very late, im not sure was she doped up but definatly at this stage losing her mind combined with sleep deprivation. The T.V shows a news report of a tragedy of a mother who murdered her son(and maybe dog, i cant remember) and then killed herself. It shows in the corner of the screen, as a body is being stretchered out, moms face looking out the window(i think this is the directors way of letting us know that she can see this situation through her own eyes and not just the t.v).The report states that it was the little boys birthday. Now maybe this was just a random news report that had nothing to do with the movie, or maybe it was a psychotic hallucination of a subconcious plan forming in the mothers mind as it slowly broke trying to deal with husbands death and sons perpetual misbehaviour.
So the final scene, is her in the garden, just after "feeding the babadook" (i feel this is her accepting her insanity/pain and metaphorically feeding/nurturing/ and even loving it). Its her sons birthday (woohoo everyones happy, mom and son cuddling, good times ahead) and this is the scene i feel that the director left ambiguous so the simple story of the babadooks defeat and taming could be taken
OR...
for those who paid close attention to the hints left through the movie, the mom cuddles and caresses her son as its her last time holding him alive, because its his birthday, and what happens on the little mans birthday guys? (pssssp look above at the t.v show section!)
ok so thats my thoughts on it, let me know what you think guys. would love to hear any additions/critisisms to them. And yes i know my grammer/general english isnt great, im not trying to impress with it. Its my ideas im hoping youll enjoy :D PEACE
I love this film, a really decent horror! I thought that it really smartly tied the mother's denial of her grief with her denial of the Babadook. The acting and story were great, and the overall atmosphere was pretty heavy. Decent stuff, way more thoughtful than the usual modern slasher - maybe that's why some people didn't get it?
As an only child raised by a single mother this film is literally the stuff of my nightmares (my mum's lovely by the way, hence nightmares.) I can't imagine how people from different backgrounds could find it as terrifying, but it's great to see that they do. I just watched Jennifer Kent's short film 'Monster' and that has filled me with even more dread, I can't wait to see what she does next.
This has been a fantastic year for female performances. For me Essie Davies, Julianne Moore and Rosamund Pike have all been Oscar worthy. I hope Rosamund wins, either an Oscar or a Kermode award.
Really looking forward to watching this when it release on blu ray.
Saw it for the first time last night, very impressive. The mother & son were played brilliantly, and the Babadook itself wasn't shown too much, which was a good thing.
This was a good watch. Watch in a dark room alone. It's intense and atmospheric. I'd describe it as We Need to Talk about Kevin meets The Shining :)
You had me at We Need to Talk About Kevin.
Not even remotely scary. Plus, the kid was a major annoyance.
You're my wife now.
Definitely one of the better horror films of recent years
Its nothing spectacular, just an average somewhat interesting film.
The Babadook is mentioned by the Russian mobster, in "John Wick".
I thought the film was going to be about a little monster that goes around leaving spooky pop-up books on peoples' doorsteps and then terrorising them if they dare read it. It's nothing like that at all. Still good tho.
Saw this tonight - THIS YEARS "THE OTHERS". Loved it.
Mark that was a superb review.
"we can change it in post production if you want " 5 LIVE.?!
Just watched it an hour ago, it is a legitimately scary movie!! Its been a long while since i was really watching it between my fingers, v scary and its quite a simple way. All fear in your mind type stuff, i like howthey managed to get a 15 rating too
This film was really disappointing to me.
poundtho
It's an indie film.
no not that,I see a lot of Indie films and like the majority of them. The first half was great, a nice slow build up, which has been ages since a horror has done (and done well). It was engaging and interesting but the 2nd half was just….well nothing really happened and then the ending was just stupid. I really wanted to love this cause it seemed like a more traditional horror but by the end it just felt kinda rushed and nothing at all was really answered.
Michael Carnell What needed to be answered? The Babdook is a personification of grief. You don't banish grief, you learn to live with it.
I don't mind them not answering certain things, as most things in horrors are best left unknown but the ending just felt really rushed and when it was the end I just felt like 'was that it?'
andyscoot43
Exactly. Well said.
At the end of it the only question I had was; was the book also just a manifestation of the mother's psyche or was it actually real? I'm pretty sure it was real and the mother herself made it out of her own resentment for her son. That explains why the book just appeared out of nowhere in the home. It also explains why it wasn't complete at first. The mother's hands were also filthy with pencil lead or something while at the police station.
Great film.
People go into this film with the wrong expectations. It's not a traditional horror film, man wearing mask hides in wardrobe with big knife and terrorises high school students, or whatever premise the run of the mill slasher films take on nowadays. This is psychological horror, at its best. It's about the manifestation of feelings, and the sheer terror of those feelings and the unknown. I've seen it and think it's a really good, well made film with great performances and some genuinely scary moments. Just because you don't understand or get something doesn't mean it's a bad movie. If you're truly passionate about films you'll look behind what's being conveyed and look for the messages the film is trying to get across. If horror to you is things like paranormal activity or whatever people flock to the cinemas in their masses to see now ( I swear people only go as everyone is watching it and it's the cool, fashionable thing to say you love these films even if you don't) but the babadook is now up there with the conjuring, the exorcist and let me in as my fave horrors.
Just watched it, it's incredibly well done. Shudder inducing. The ending doesn't let it down but underlines the story. Like the way Mr. Babadook is never seen full-on in the way Freddy Kruger or even the Alien would be, just melting into the shadows or slithering along the ceiling.
When I finished the film, i was just a little put out by how it ended, with it not completely making sense to me at the time, but it really stayed with me and festered in my brain, and might be one of the most disturbing films despite the fact that the only thing that dies in the movie (spoilers) is the dog. Turns out the scariest thing in the world isn't the babadook, but the way it manifests itself in the mother
Well Overrated for me. No where near the heights of The Witch or Midsommar or even Hereditary. Babadook was a horror film for kids.
Such a great film which just proves to me how crappy most of the modern jumpscare dependant horror films are these days. Kind of has a exorcist mixed with the shining feel. Now i'm going to go in case he's watching!
The Babadook is a film i think people need to go and watch more than once to truly understand what it's trying to bring across to its audience. For me it was very clever and genuinely freaky, a deeply psychological and unsettling experience.
This guy gets it! I thought the babadook was a really good movie and I haven't felt so freaked out in a long time. jump scares are just boring and cliché.
*SPOILERS* even when the main character violently strangles her dog to death, the film still makes you care for her.
Interesting to see Mark miss the point of the film. The babadook is a representation of depression, its not a real, physical entity. The other thing to take away from the film is how grief not only affects you, but those around you. Its a terrifying observation on the stages of grief, the effect that has on others, how individuals deal with it and most importantly that there can be a positive outcome when you reach the stage of acceptance. Mental health issues dont go away, but you can manage them. Thats the journey of The Babdook and i dont say this as someone who's only recently seen the film. I saw it on release and have my own personal issues with mental health and grief that i have learned to deal with.
The Los Angeles premiere is tomorrow (Sat 25th Oct) at the Cinefamily. After this review I just bought my ticket!
Watched it recently for the first time on Netflix and really loved it. Great movie
I've never been more unsettled and creeped out watching a horror movie than I was with The Babadook. No other horror movie has done that for me, except maybe The Exorcist.
People in my cinema were laughing during the screening. Soo distracting I guess its pretty divisive though.
If you understand the meaning of most of the things you realise it is a master piece.
Arr they didn't leave in the bit where he throws an email in the bin for saying that Annabelle was better than the babadook
I've beenn waiting sooooo long for this to be released. A film that has genuine scares unlike the Annabel's and paranormal franchises!
Possibly one of the scariest films I've ever seen in my life next to the shining
I can't understand why it takes Mark six minutes into his review before he explains what happened to the protagonist - Husband dies on the way to taking his wife to the delivery room.
Loved this film. Wouldn't really call it a horror movie although it tells an amazing story.
I am generally no fan of horror.
But since this movie gets a lot of praise for not just being scary but being an emotional story in it's core. I am a fan for Pan's Labyrinth for a lot of reasons ,well who isn't, but for a big part for it's strange and nasty emotional core. So would be this movie for me?
Yep
Boring film
I think it's a film about grief, and the madness of it.
This film was so god damn amazing scariest movie in years
I've wanted to see this all year but many people are reluctant to go with me...doesn't help it's barely showing in any cinemas nearby! Hope I get to see it soon - I'm really into traditional horror...my favourites being things like The Exorcist and Ju-On: The Grudge...both the kind of films of which this film appears to hark back to to an extent
I can't even google the name anymore because I don't want to come across another image or shot of the Babadook. When a movie unsettles me to that point, I know the film has succeeded in it's goal.
How strange that he didn't mention a single thing about the Exorcist given it's chock full of references to it.
I think Mark sometimes forgets that we don't have his polymathic knowledge of the horror genre and sometimes neglects to speak English ;).
i really liked the movie, and i AM attached to the movie , emotionally. in fact, i got an inspiration of a romance novel from the movie... i do a lil bit of writing
I completely agree! Truth be told, just listening to this review made a shiver run down my spine as I remembered the film.
I just don't see what's so special about it. It has a very good lead performance and its scary but its really not that different from The Conjuring and a dozen of those haunted house movies. It encompasses all those ideas about being scared of the children through cliches like rattling furniture and bumps in the night. The guy from Snowtown is in the movie and they don't even use him.
Director Jennifer Kent delivers A horror film that deals with the fear of parents afraid of things they can't see in A stylish & very original horror film that’s destined to be A classic. (93%) (4.5/5 stars) (positive)
Just seen it and I have to say I'm very disappointed. It's definitely a smart film and I actually love the ideas (particularly the ending and what it represents) and it's even very well-acted (really good central performance), well-directed (beautiful cinematography!) and has a good score. However, it didn't scare/creep me out one bit (or at least not nearly as much as I wanted it to) and most of the third act (excluding the ending) was even completely silly (the entire episode when she becomes "possessed" by the Babadook and screams around in "overacting" mode in a seemingly distorted voice reminded me of the similarly unscary and disappointing last act of the Conjuring). Some moments even seemed somewhat cheesy and heavy-handed like the husband appearing several times even though I understand that that's part of the film's exploration of the mother's grief.
The biggest disappointment for me, though, is that it didn't move me as much as a I wanted it to (that would have made up for a lack of scares, I could have "accepted" it as a convincing drama). Altogether it reminds me of another film I watched after hearing Mark recommend it and then I was disappointed and susprised by the lack of scares and that film is Cronenberg's film the Brood which also has similar interesting ideas I liked - I imagine possibly even being an inspiration on this one. I wish I enjoyed this film as much as most other people did.
A good movie, but in a lot of ways it reminded me of The Exorcist, and the special effects were like Paranormal Activity, like when the boy gets pulled upstairs by an invisible force, then slammed against the wall and the mother and son land on the bed and the bed shakes violently, lifts, etc. It just wasn't original enough for me and could have easily been better without the typical horror cliches.
just finished watching it, great film!
Just wish we got to see the Babadook a little more
You say it's half way between pure horror and character study, that's because it's about the horror experienced by the character. See? That's how 2 ideas merge...
I really enjoyed the film, however I was left with more questions then answers. Looking forward to watching again so I can work out what happened. This should be no reflection on the film, but more that I must be too stupid to get it.
God bless the Good Doctor. Seriously. He is the only film critic whose opinion I genuinely pay attention to and this review is a perfect example of why.
Great scary movie.
Reminded me of "The Ring". Outstanding monster, great characters and a storyline that twists and turns right to the end. More cerebral than most films in this genre.
A+
Just watched, very good movie. Personally I think the ending symbolizes the conquer of fear which never goes away, you have to manage it on a daily basis.
I was ery disappointed with it. I loved the mother son stuff and the babadook, but towards the last half hour it went completely nuts. Hated, HATED that part.
The first hour was boring. At least in the last part something happened.
I wanted to see bit the where Mark rips up correspondence from someone who though Annabelle was better.
just 100% not scary
First half of the movie was really good...second..meh.
"Meh" is putting it nicely. The second half of the film, especially the ending, was an absolute joke.
The second half was better IMO. I didn't think of it as a straight up horror film though. It was more a psychological horror film about grief and depression and it really delivered. As a standard horror film I think some people might be disappointed.
***** How do you explain the book then?
***** how do you explain the kid seeing the babadook at the aunt's house when the mother wasn't there and the kid was talking to the babadook while the aunt and cousin watched him talk to the "air" (i'm not mocking you im honestly curious)
***** Is that what was going on? Hmm that slipped past me and everyone I was watching it with. That's an interesting idea but I don't think it worked. The ending felt very weak and out of place compared to how strong everything else was. I wasn't expecting a cliche run of the mill horror film but there really was no payoff in the end for me. The idea of The Babadook was very cool, but ultimately I can't shake off the feeling that it missed its mark somewhere.
Ba ba dook. Dook. Dook. Lol. I loved this movie.
I really want the U.S. release date to make its rounds for this movie. This sounds incredible.
The most effective way to scare me in film is to feature a pale faced kid with dark rings round their eyes.
This film looks like it's from the 70s
kill it with fire ^^
A ghost story with
It was never called turning of the screw on film it was known as 'the innocents'
This film looks very good. I am looking forward to seeing it.
So was there a boogeyman or was mom losing her marbles? The only power in this film was it made me go back and forth with the this is real or no, this is suggestive. This was too Dr. Fraud to be a horror movie.
The kid was better than Van Helsing, Dr. Loomis, and Peter Vincent combined! Lol
The monster was herself. Her loneliness and grief haunted herself
Finally a good horror! I hope? Starting to lose all hope here...
sounds similar in premise to the orphanage, will check this out
Agree completely with Mark. Strong film.
Watched it and loved. Some of it was so screwed up!
The Babadook is my favourite horror film
liked the film well reviewed creepy from the start
Loving the Papa Lazarou reference!
i saw it last night ;) really enjoyed it
CANNOT WAIT TO SEE THIS
That is a good review and sold
Hello Daaaaaavvee!
This was a great movie.
Borebadook
You actually thought this movie was boring?
This movie made me weep
BA BA DOOK DOOK DOOK
Great film!