Misunderstood Masterpiece of Psychological Terror

Rating: 10/10 (20 November 2014)

Forget the silly name, The Babadook is an amazing little piece of film. It's not that people are disliking it, as I believe they are misunderstanding just how deep it is. I would bet money that most people missed the whole point of it because the director gives just tiny hints along the way.
On the surface it comes across as the story of a mythical creature called Mister Babadook... A monster that somehow finds its way into the lives of the two characters. However, it's the "somehow" that tips you off to the real story here. Don't just limit this movie to a haunted book, that's doing a disservice. Think of what the Babadook symbolizes during the film, there are a couple of very specific flashbacks and "visions" that point to what exactly the monster might really be. I won't spoil it, but I guarantee it adds a whole new dimension to the story... And makes this slice of celluloid and tight little thriller that side steps the conventions and goes for the psychological scares. It reminded me of The Orphanage and Dark Water, with some Shining on top.
The way she slowly becomes affected by the monster, and how it plays out in the end, all work perfectly due to some top notch acting by the two leads and a brilliant scriptwriter. This movie kicks but, and scared mine right off!