As I write this review, I find myself incredibly distressed by what I've borne witness to.
Let the record show that I don't watch horror movies. Any horror movies I have seen are boring and contain only jump scares.
Until I watched this one.
For 90 minutes, I found myself in a headspace where I was living both past and present. I dredged up some old memories that I had repressed. I identified heavily with Samuel and for me, this movie was particularly jarring.
So, congratulations, movie. You did your job.
Let's just get this over with.
Story/Dialogue: A widow is tormented by a monster that appears out of a book that she reads to her 6 year old.
This movie hearkens back to a lot of the stories told by the Brothers Grimm. Not the fairy tales we were told as kids, but the more brutal ones, like Cinderella's stepsisters having their eyes pecked out by crows at the end.
Instead, this movies deals with the destructive power of grief. It makes it tangible, yet shapeless. It hurts us and those around us. We are slowly driven mad by the beast we bear.
I loved how the dialogue makes you feel like the mother does in the beginning. It draws you into their world and you just want the kid to stop but because you're still watching the movie you have to ride it out. So your sanity is slowly chipped away at this kid who believes in monsters and speaks his mind.
It really says a lot when you feel bad for hating on the kid when all he's trying to do is make sure his mum is okay. Everyone thinks he cries wolf, but the wolf is real.
Very real.
Cinematography: The subtlety of the bled out colours, the lighting and use of the TV tied the film up to create this dreary, depressing atmosphere. You know something is not right and it doesn't sit with you at all.
The feeling in your gut that you get while watching even the brightest day being bled out is an atmospheric choice and if you're feeling that, the creators have done well.
Some of the shots are shaky cam. However, rather than take away from the film, it actually adds more to it.
Imagine attaching a GoPro to Cerberus. That's what it's like.
It gives you that sense that the beast truly is shapeless. You see what it sees and it's a nice touch.
Audio: The atmospheric tracks in this film and the sound effects are top notch. It's those tiny details that set you on edge and give you that feeling of distress.
Hearing the beast's roar, the low frequency noise that upsets humans and the gradual sounds of the Babadook are unnerving at best.
In terms of music, the toy box tracks gave it a childlike innocence which only served to upset me more. So, it did its job.
Overall: One final thing I'd like to note before I rate this movie is that it has the aesthetic of a darker version of Tashi. For those of you who do not live in Australia, Tashi is a young boy who goes on strange adventures and meets even stranger creatures.
Growing up with this character, I was captivated by the artistic style of the Babadook.
For more information on Tashi: http://tashibooks.com/
Now, did this movie make me feel something? Yes.
Did it make me care about the characters? Yes.
Did it have a message in it that didn't beat you over the head? Yes.
For that, I give this movie 5 stars.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to sleep off this movie.
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