The Babadook (2014)
Starring: Essie Davis, Noah Wiseman, Daniel Henshall, Hayley
McElhinney, Barbara West, Ben Winspear
Plot: A single mother, plagued by the violent death of her
husband, battles with her son's fear of a monster lurking in the house, but
soon discovers a sinister presence all around her.
My Review and Thoughts:
What filmmaking is all about?
Truly a frightening modern classic. Old school brilliance of
tension and darkened frights. Original and unique one of a kind story, acting,
atmosphere and conclusion. I felt this film and it left a perfect impression
upon me. The skill to create an emotional roller coaster of fear and simplistic
frights. It bleeds the old school of horror cinema. The sounds, images and
completion of the film sends the viewer back into the realm of quality film
without having to use a high budget and glamor shots.
The best way to watch this movie is with the lights off. The
sound up, and alone. Loved the dread, classic hair raising reality. Perfect
fright and scary tone with the beauty of the simple effective way of being
scary.
Possibly one of my new favorites. I felt this was a new
modern classic that instantly showcases itself into a cult film setting.
Directed and written by actress Jennifer Kent. This is her first feature
length film and I think she aces it in the creepy department of horror movie
brilliance. Truly one of the most gifted and terrifying
accomplishments in cinema.
The dark, gloomy and depressing imagery makes the film stand
out. Dark grey tones. Lack of color adds to the Brothers Grimm fairy tale style
reality to the story and the affective nature of imagery and noise. The
performances are stunning.
Essie Davis as the mom, depressed, widowed, raising an odd
child and sent into a darkened reality reminds me of perfection in acting. Her
part goes up there with Piper Laurie as Margaret White. She aces the part of
Amelia. Her performance stands out as being something to truly remember. She
gave it her all. She aced the struggling mother. She was able to grab the
viewer and make you feel her plight and spiral into an emotional ordeal of
insanity and the horror taking shape around her.
Next the acting by Noah Wiseman as Sam is a perfect little
gentlemen performer. At times an unruly little snot and at others a loving
child. Wiseman has a true passion for performing and he gave and created the
part of Sam in a gifted way. The character of Sam made you believe his fear, dread
and emotional state. Might I add this is his first feature film and I have to
say he aced it also. He played the part of the child perfectly annoying, believable
and also lovable.
There is a dark visual experience with this film that is
able to create an old school film making feel, yet mixes the ultimate
nightmarish quality that is childhood nightmares. This gives life to the
creature under the bed. It gives breath to the monster in the closet. It pushes
the blood into the bed time haunts of children. Most of all this film explores
the bond of mother and child and the exploration of survival in the reality of
single parenthood, coping, raising and pushing oneself beyond the idea of thinking and doing horrible choices.
The film itself in the way it’s filmed and held tightly to
an idea of a coffin. The tight weaved atmosphere of walls that close in and
create a claustrophobic reality of this family life and relationship is captured
in a flawless way. There is an idea of imprisonment in the house. A caged
animal syndrome as emotions and attitudes slowly meld into un-rational wellbeing.
The atmosphere gives off a black and white haunting horror
film even though it’s filmed in color.
The brilliant stop motion approach to the Babadook makes it
all the more flawless. In an age where I feel computers and high budget moments
have destroyed true filmmaking, The Babadook is able to express the craftsmanship
and originality of imagination once again. The realism of the feel expresses itself
in crystal clarity.
What needs to stand out and be expressed is the story. The
story builds and gives a dynamic quality that so many horror films lack. This
day and age horror films have become unoriginal and the same thing over and
over again. Even when a horror film comes along that is good it still lacks an
emotional relationship with the characters. The Babadook gives you the
characters in story and emotions and a believable setting that grows on the
viewer and gives you characters you become a part of. We all can relate to the
characters in this film. The movie gives you living, breathing reality based
characters.
This is not simply another horror movie. It is so much more.
It’s an original crafted storybook nightmare that gave a high quality and memorable
emotional states. Ultimately a frightening reality that film makers should
look to in how to create a film that leaves a lasting mark and will stand the
test of time.
I highly recommend this movie. I loved it from beginning to
end and I feel it’s a modern classic of cinema.