Efficient But The Short Film Was Much Better

Rating: 7/10 (12 December 2014)

I saw Jennifer Kent's short film MONSTER a couple of hours ago and if there one thing more shocking than the scare tactics in that film it's how easy it is to find online the feature length film MONSTER inspired . If nothing else it means that a film that would have remained unknown and obscure as been given a much wider audience . The question is if it's worth seeing ?
The answer is probably yes but with rather strict reservations . If you're looking for an expanded version of MONSTER unfortunately you might be left a little disappointed . Where as in that short the monster was the focus of the story here it's little more than a plot device and its great strength was scare tactics which it carried off brilliantly . Here however it's the mother / young son dynamic that is important and the horrors are of a more psychological nature . Despite being written and directed by Jennifer Kent THE BABADOOK doesn't share a lot with MONSTER
The flaw with THE BABADOOK is that there's not a lot of narrative drive . We get hints that something is not right in Amelia's household but nothing really happens until well in to the second half of the movie . Before then the story revolves around the mother Amelia and her son Samuel . Essie Davis as Amelia is good in her role but the character is rather unlikable and unsympathetic , and you get the feeling the producers are trying a bit too hard to get a few mainstream award nods for Davis . Unfortunately Noah Wiseman as Samuel is simply dreadful and one of those irritating kids you hope something nasty happens to
In summary THE BABADOOK is efficient as a psychological horror film . It relies on suspense and mystery rather than violence and gore but if you've seen MONSTER then all the things you loved about that short are conspicuous by their absence so this version isn't really a version of the short but still manages to get a generous 7/10