The Babadook review

BEST NEW FEATURE

The last horror movie I watched was last year's The Conjuring, but even that can't compete with the spine-tingling horrors of The Babadook, an Australian film which has received heavy acclaim everywhere it screened. So, does it deserve all those accolades? Oh yes. 

Amelia (Essie Davis) is a single mother whose child, Samuel (Noah Wiseman) likes to imagine a monster. Particularly, it's The Babadook, a monster from a storybook. Amelia is haunted by her husband's violent death, and in here the movie gains a lot of its depth. The reality of this movie is something approached from two angles. At first, it's the view from the outside in. This part has an intriguing take on the "monster under the bed" trope, and much of the horror in this part of the film is from Samuel's obsession with monsters. He sees things that aren't there, and acts in increasingly disturbing ways, seeming to be a danger to his fellow children. This part is creepy enough, with an intriguing approach to horror as based heavily in how we perceive something that appears quite real.

This first part is scary enough, but halfway through, The Babadook turns itself inside out and takes a perspective from othe outside in. The titular monster is a metaphor, and as much horror is derived from what it represents as from its presence. A few scenes are outside of the horror mold, but these are some of the most essential, adding to the bigger picture. This film has the chilling atmosphere and horrifying nature to operate on the level of visceral horror, but it also posesses intelligence and depth not known in most recent horror films. This is horror with purpose, and it's that purpose that puts The Babadook above its contemporaries. Many of those films thrive on jump scares, and while this film has some, they're subtle and understated.

Instead, the scares in The Babadook are largely rooted in psychological horror, making you ask questions about the mental states of the characters while in the first half maintaining some marginal semblance of realism. Later on, when the more conventional horror atmosphere kicks in, the story's nuance keeps the psychological elements going. The questions about Amelia and Samuel's mental states remain, and in fact intensify, but some pieces come into place. The story starts as a disorganized puzzle, just to put itself together in its second half.

The horror genre thrives on special effects, and they are truly excellent in The Babadook. All effects are practical, and there's a heavy use of stop-motion. It creates a creepy effect that complements the oppressive atmosphere. Cinematography is dark and tense, serving the film's purposes and working with the central performances and effects work to maintain the creepiness of the film. To be taken seriously, the monster at the core of a horror movie has to be horrifying itself, and the freakishly creative design of the titular monster is unsettling from the second we lay eyes on it. The uncanny valley is invoked heavily, with features that just don't look quite right-it's a demon with a man's face. Said face has wide-open eyes and a demented grin, resulting in a deranged appearance. The imagery of a towering man dressed in dark is evocative of both a sexual predator and traditional depictions of Death. All around it's an excellent design.

Those looking to be scared will find plenty to like in The Babadoook, yet so will those looking for something with more depth. It's horror of the best kind: Both creepy and smart. For a horror film to deserve praise as one of the best movies of the year is impressive in its own right, but this one earns it with aplomb.

10/10

Edit: Expanded. (12/28/14)