Brilliant story that can't decide its genre

Rating: 7/10 (11 December 2014)

Let me start by saying that THE BABADOOK is very difficult to talk about without spoiling. Because of the way the plot works and builds itself, every piece of the puzzle can be used as the key to solving the whole thing, depending on how you approach it. And yet, I found myself disappointed at the end. I turned to my friend Sara and we both asked each other "was that it?", expecting something more to happen. It is not by any stretch of the imagination a bad film; the story is certainly well-done and gripping, and the character development flawless, but it did leave a lot to be desired despite the stunning performances of Essie Davis and Noah Wiseman as mother and son.
In the film, widow Amelia is haunted by the loss of her husband while she tries to raise her uncontrollable son Samuel. One day, Samuel discovers a book titled "Mister Babadook" on his shelf, and requests she read it to him. The book tells the story of an entity known as "The Babadook," and this entity begins to haunt the two, who must fight for their survival.
The main issue I have with the film is that it can't decide whether it is a family drama or a horror film. There are some definite horror moments towards the end of the film, but the atmosphere of the whole thing, from the muted color scheme to the close-up facial shots, feels more like a deep, complex family drama. Now, while this is valid considering the way the film plays out, it nullifies the horror aspects of the film.
This could have been saved if The Babadook himself had been a better monster. He had the potential to be: creepy dark outfit, fascinating-if-uncertain origin, apparent omnipotence- but as soon as he appears on the screen he loses all his power. His initial appearance in the film is laughable and it, unfortunately, sets the tone for the rest of the film. And then he just keeps appearing and his appearance loses impact although it barely had any to begin with. This is a problem that has become rather common in modern horror; it seems filmmakers don't know when and how to show their creatures. In the Hammer Horror/Universal years gone by, the appearance of the central baddie early in the film worked to the film's advantage, but nowadays we live in a realm of psychological horror, where the unseen is scarier than the visible. Considering the ultimate conclusion of the story and effect The Babadook had on the characters who encountered him, Kent would have done well to keep this in mind. There is a short section through The Babadook's point of view that is absolutely brilliant; I would have loved to have seen more of that. Honestly he could have not physically manifested in the film at all and that would have been perfectly fine. Also he sounded like a velociraptor. When you see the movie you will understand what I mean.
I am also about to crucify myself by saying this: the film lacked jumpscares. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not talking about the modern trope of entire horror films being nothing but jumpscares. I think that's silly. But at the same time, one or two jumpscares in a horror film can work to its advantage: it creates that expectation and tension that psychological horror needs to thrive. Essentially, it brings viewers to the edges of their seats. If you look at INSIDIOUS or THE CONJURING you will know what I mean.
But it wasn't all bad; it's one of those movies where if it doesn't register right away what is going on, the IMDb boards are a goldmine. I would up reading all of the other viewers' theories on the film while I was on the bus home, and everything clicked. But it shouldn't have taken me a bunch of reading to figure it out; I'm not saying Kent needed to spoon feed us, but a little less vagueness would have been nice. The story that's been crafted IS brilliant, though, once you get it.
Overall, THE BABADOOK is a film I'd like to see again now that I've read more about it. While I enjoyed it for what it was, I don't think it has quite the impact implied by all of the film's buzz. If it did, I doubt the entire row in front of us would have been laughing during what was supposed to be the film's most frightening moments.