The Babadook

You've heard of feel-good films, well this is not one. It's creepy and disturbing pretty well all the way, a good old horror fantasy with a nod to the psychological canniness of Nightmare on Elm Street but much more economical in terms of special effects, casting and I would imagine budget. It nevertheless maintains tension and atmosphere along with some high-flying dramatic sequences from the actors which bear comparison with The Exorcist. The plot also connects nicely with the psychological and existential conflicts facing a single mother whose son's birth coincided with the tragic death of her husband, and the whole nasty Babadook phenomenon, and its unresolved outcome, can certainly be read as an allegory of this traumatic event. Maybe it's over-reading to say the film also contains a Nietszchian lesson about the importance of embracing every aspect of one's life and history, no matter how horrific - but it works for me. The acting is amazingly good from the two leads, although the supporting characters are a bit stereotyped, a directing decision presumably. Sets and locations are charged with a bleak gloom, and the colour accordingly verges on monochrome. Love the specially made children's book, and Mr Babadook's physical character, as well as the wonderfully curated vintage movie footage appearing throughout on the TV screen. And a special word for the very fine intricately crafted sound design.

While "The Babadook" may display some of the hallmarks of the traditional horror film, there's a lot more going on here than meets the eye. Far from the typical Hollywood bloodfest so brilliantly satired in "Cabin in the Woods," this film's characters are layered, its plot is mercurial, its actions are metaphorical, and its conclusions are ambiguous. All this is likely to disappoint those filmgoers who need to be spoonfed a formula. But if you're a film lover, Do. Not. Miss. This.

Director Jennifer Kent understands what most horror filmmakers fail to grasp: that our biggest fear isn't of crazy killers or monsters or ghosts, but of ourselves—what lives inside us, the emotions we have to live with, the illusory veil of self-control.

The plot revolves around a mum, her troubled son and the book he pulls off the shelf one night. But you already know too much. This is one film where knowing less going into it will really pay dividends. Really, don't even watch the trailer.

Just know that the storytelling and craft are flawless. Essie Davis delivers one of the most challenging performances put to screen with total commitment and credibility. Kent's storytelling is utterly absorbing and she so delicately treads the line between what's real and what's not that you can never be sure of yourself.

What you make of "The Babadook" will depend on who you are. You might take it at face value, as a creepy monster flick with all the constant threat and looming dread and shocking moments. You might take it as an attempt to capture the authentic experience of mental illness. You might take it as a symbolic story using a metaphor for grief and loss. The best films make you feel something and allow you the room to make sense of it yourself.

Personally, I thought about this film for days after seeing it, both because of its ambiguity and because of the themes it explores, namely mental illness and domestic violence. Yes, it's scary. But it's also touching and heartbreaking. While "The Babadook" belongs alongside other great psychological horror films, like "The Innocents" and "The Haunting" (1963), to classify it purely as "horror" really belittles its accomplishment as a film that challenges us to examine and discuss issues we are very uncomfortable tackling in reality.

Amelia is a single mom struggling with hyper-active 6 year old son Samuel with a constant need for weapons to defend himself from unseen monsters. Her husband died in a car accident driving her to the hospital to have Samuel. The school is scared to keep him with the other kids. Even her sister Claire is afraid of Samuel especially to play with her own daughter Ruby. She finds a disturbing children's book about the Babadook. This sets off a scary series of events.

Normally, I hate annoying kids but this kid is brilliantly annoying. It's such a fascinating character and the mother's suffering can really be felt. I did expect this to turn into a monster movie but it becomes more of a psychological thriller which is perfectly great. The turn in Amelia is terrific. On a minor note, a scarier Babadook could have been even better.

I really enjoyed this film, its dark and unnerving without resorting to loud bangs or "found footage" style filming to get its scares.

Low budget and well shot, the film leans on the power of suggestion and tone to create a film which has a sense of unease throughout, tonally like the Exorcist, where there is this underlying feeling of dread and helplessness

The scares are not spoon fed, so this won't be for everyone, if your brand of horror is purely just modern films like Insidious or the recent Annabelle - then this might not be for you.

One of my favourite films of the year.

There's a demon likes to get inside your mind, if he enters he can be a bit unkind, takes you down a winding path, a quite determined sociopath, doesn't care what trauma that he leaves behind. It's the kind of shade that's often caught alone, the recipient may feel they don't belong, an imposter in their world, wearing a mask fully unfurled, all life's treasures we take for granted, simply gone.

A stellar performance from Essie Davis in a film that will get you thinking about the effects life's challenges present and how you deal with them, albeit through the eyes of one possessed by demonic urges they can't control while becoming a silhouette of themselves.