The Babadook

Rating: 7/10 (15 October 2017)

I had no idea what the meaning of the title is, apparently it is the Polish word for boogeyman, it is the name of a monster featured in this very well rated scary movie from Australia. Basically Amelia Vanek (The Matrix's Essie Davis) is a widow, her husband Oskar (Benjamin Winspear) was killed in a car accident whilst driving her to hospital during her labour, she has brought up her six-year-old son Samuel (Noah Wiseman) alone. One night, Sam chooses a bedtime story for his mother to read, he chooses a pop-up book Amelia has never seen before, titled Mister Babadook, as she begins to read, it is full of scary images, describing a tall pale-faced humanoid in a top hat with pointed fingers who torments its victims. Amelia is disturbed by the book, Sam displays increasingly erratic behaviour, suffers insomnia, and has a preoccupation with this fictional monster from the book, believing it is real, Amelia has many sleepless nights trying to comfort her son. Soon strange events occur, doors opening and closing by themselves, strange sounds are heard, and Amelia finds broken glass shards in her food, she attributes all of this Sam, but he blames the Bababdook, she rips up and disposes of the book. At Amelia's birthday party, Sam's cousin Ruby (Chloe Hurn) bullies him for not having a father, in anger he pushes her out of a tree, her nose is broken in two places. Amelia's sister Claire admits she cannot bear Sam, Amelia takes great offence of this, Sam has another vision of the Bababdook on a drive home, and suffers a febrile seizure, after a successful plea, a paediatrician gives Amelia sedatives. The following morning, Amelia finds the Mister Babadook book restored on the front door step, it contains new words about the creature becoming stronger if she continues to deny its existence, it also includes new pop-ups of her killing their dog Bugsy, then killing Sam, and herself. The terrified Amelia burns the book and goes to the police to report this threat and disturbing phone calls received, but she has no proof of stalking, she leaves when she sees the Babadook's suit hanging behind the front desk. Amelia starts to become more isolated and shut-in, being more impatient, and shouting at Samuel for "disobeying" her, and continuing to mention the Babadook. One night, Amelia has a vision of Oskar, but this turns into the Bababdook stalking her, until it takes over her and finally possesses her, breaking Bugsy's neck, and trying to attack Sam, but he manages to lure her into the basement, and knocks her out. Amelia wakes in the basement tied up, she tries to strangle Sam who is sitting nearby, but he lovingly caresses her face, causing Amelia to throw up an inky black substance, seemingly expelling the Bababdook. Sam reminds Amelia that "you can't get rid of the Babadook", then an invisible force drags Sam into Amelia's bedroom, she saves him, but the Babadook forces her to re-watch a vision of her husband's death. After this moment of utter despair, Amelia furiously confronts the Babadook, she is able to make the beast retreat into the basement, where she locks the door behind it. Some time passes, Amelia and Samuel have recovered from the ordeal, Amelia is caring and attentive to her son, they gather earthworms together for her to take to the basement, it is for the Babadook to eat, the beast tries to attack, but she calms it, it takes the earthworms to the corner, Amelia returns to the garden to celebrate Sam's birthday. Also starring Hayley McElhinney as Claire, Daniel Henshall as Robbie, Barbara West as Mrs. Roach, Carmel Johnson as Teacher and Tim Purcell as the Babadook. Davis gives a monumental performance as the single care worker mother mentally tortured by an uncontrollable force, young Wiseman is relatively good as the disturbed child as well, it is a very simple "monster in the closet" story, with the paternal figure questioning what's real and what's not, with small special effects, clever use of sound, visual scares and a feel of creepiness throughout, this is definitely a gripping and intense psychological horror. Very good!