THE BABADOOK REVIEW

   I just got done watch the Australian psychological horror movie, The Babadook. Now I know I am a little late to the party since this movie came out in 2014. My bother kept telling me to check it out, and how much he loved it. Then I recently watched the movie Z on the Shutter movie app. A few reviews I saw about Z (Z 2020 REVIEW) compared it to The Bababdook. I was even getting asked on Instagram how they compared. Since I had not seen it yet, I knew that I had to watch it and see why people compared the two.


   If you have not heard about or seen The Babadook, originally premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. Directed by Jennifer Kent, starring Essie Davis(Amelia) and Noah Wiseman(Samuel) as mother and son. On the way to the hospital to give birth to Samuel, Amelia's husband gets in a car accident with only Amelia and Samuel surviving. Six years later Amelia is a single working mom struggling with depression and the stress of having to raise difficult child on her own. Samuel always thinks there are monsters around and makes traps and weapons to defend his mom. When confronted with fear he reacts with violence. This pushing away fellow classmates and Amelia's friends.

   One night Amelia goes to read Samuel a bedtime story, he picks a book he has never seen before about a monster called The Babadook. From that night forward, things get worse for the two as The Babadook slowly drives Amelia crazy as she slowly mad. Is The Babadook real, or is Amelia just mentally ill?

   This movie started off so slow for me. Our internet went out for about ten minutes and when it came back on and I saw we was only thirty four minutes into the movie, I was shocked! It felt like was had been watching the movie for over a hour. Having said that, I did enjoy some aspects of the movie. Essie Davis was the best thing about the movie. There is a scene where is chasing her son, and her mannerisms made the scene more creepy and also made you more involved into what was happening with the characters. Here acting was on point.

   Noah Wiseman made me want The Babadook to come kill him or take him away the whole time! His character was SO annoying. Now thinking back, he did do a great job, cause you feel for Amelia and her sanity with how Samuel was crying, screaming, and was overbearing the whole movie. I spoke with some friends that have seen the movie, and they said the same thing, they hated Samuel's character. But like I said, thinking about it more and more, that is the whole point. To make you feel the stress of Amelia's life.

    I guess I did like the movie a little more then I first felt after watching it. I still don't like the long slow start, and the ending I feel could have also been a little stronger. I would still say that this movie is worth a watch, at least once.