Disc Reviews

The Babadook DVD Review

17th Feb 2015

The current state of mainstream horror cinema is dominated by a seemingly endless litany of dull formula sequels to decidedly average movies. To be fair, this mid ground in the horror scene i.e. the 15 (sometimes even 12A) certificate area is a hard place to make an original mark. However, recent years has seen it become the zone of the horror film for people who don’t like horror films (to mangel a perfectly good Kermodian quote). While the extreme 18 certificate end of horror cinema has it’s own problems with originality too, they are by dint of pure economics, somewhat less critical to the health of the genre. Hollywood simply isn’t making particularly interesting horror movies right now, although other opinions on that are of course available.

It is into this less than frothy mix that The Babadook arrives from Australia with a super low budget, tight focus, and a mission to shake things up just a little bit.

Written and directed by Jennifer Kent, and based on her own 2005 short film Monster, the film tells the tale of Amelia (Essie Davis); an increasingly strung out mother, and her young son Sam (Noah Wiseman). They are struggling to cope with life after the tragic and untimely death of her husband (Sam’s father of course).

Exponentially adding to their woes; they soon become increasingly terrorised by an [imaginary?] monster after reading a disturbing and mysterious children’s pop up book found on the shelf one day. The film takes us on a psychological journey, involving themes of loss, bereavement and grief management, as well as mental wellbeing, and children developing behavioural issues as a result of the loss of a parent. The film is satisfyingly layered, and builds the fear and paranoia steadily, never quite showing its hand until the last act. Despite its onion like credentials; It is at heart a simple and childlike horror premise. Is there really a monster hiding in the dark spaces and wardrobes or not? Is he real, or merely a collective manifestation of the misery and stress Amelia and Sam are enduring? The film remains ambiguous about this until the final reel, and even then, there are ways of interpreting both the meat and potatoes of the story, as well as the denouement itself either way. What we get through is a very interesting and fresh feeling film that engages the mind in a way that stories about possessed dolls do not.

Bearing in mind the aforementioned state of Hollywood horror cinema; it is refreshing that The Babadook tries very hard (and for the majority of the time, succeeds), to avoid the ‘by the numbers’ feel, cliches and tropes horror movies have become ever more saddled with of late. In terms of the effectiveness of our Mister Babadook himself (real or imagined as he may be), and remembering this is not an 18 certificate gore fest; one is rather welcomely reminded of the infamous Judderman character from the Metz commercials of a few years back. If you have never seen the commercial in question; then do seek it out. The Judderman ad is still considered one of the scariest and disturbing creations ever to sell an alcoholic beverage! For this author, the link between the two is obvious, if somewhat lateral. Herein lies one of the great strengths of The Babadook: It never allow its nightmarish imagery to stray too far from the creepy children’s illustrative style set out in the Mister Babadook pop-up book seen early on in the film, and again later on. This all helps to maintain this unsettling sense that maybe it is Amelia and Sam’s deteriorating mental health that are the root cause of everything befalling them.

The only thing that can be a struggle is Wiseman’s presence in the movie. His ‘behaviour’ is such that he is instantly abrasive and hard to warm to, which could bring you out of the movie with expletives on how much you can’t abide child actors. However this I feel, is mostly ‘designed in’ conceptually, and if you stick with it; pays dividends in the end.

Special Features

The press release for the DVD and Blu-Ray editions of The Babadook list the following supplemental materials. Unfortunately, we can only list them here, rather than offer commentary on their quality or duration etc. This was due to our review sample being a movie only check disc (it happens).

Featurettes:

Special Effects: The Stabbing Scene

There’s No Place Like Home: Creating The House

Illustrating Evil: Creating The Book

The Stunts

Trailers:

Alternate Trailer

Original Trailer

UK Trailer

In Conclusion

The Babadook has won much critical acclaim, and in this author’s opinion; rightly so. No, it is not an 18 certificate terror-fest, and no; a hardened horror violence and gore aficionado might struggle to see what all the fuss is about. However, in the realm of 15 certificate mainstream horror cinema; The babadook is a beacon of light in an otherwise unrelenting sea of predictable sub-par turds.

Psychological horror is always divisive among genre fans, especially when actual violence and gore are very minimal as they are here. It is reminiscent of many an argument to be had over Tobe Hooper’s original The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Many modern viewers can’t access the film because there is so little viscera on show, which is a shame as the film’s power was never found within that realm. In a way, the title carries much of the blame there of course.

In a way, The Babadook occupies a similar space, but replaces the relentless terror and pace of Hooper’s film, with a steadily building creeping malaise that if you can get on board and ride it; is a pretty good wave.

More like this please, and less possessed toys and found footage drudge.