A refreshing and cleverly conceived Drama/ Horror/ Thriller where the actors shine.

Rating: 9/10 (9 May 2014)

I had the pleasure of viewing "The Babadook" at the recent Melbourne Premiere screening. Being a fan of the Thriller/Horror genre it is refreshing to see an original story that delivers the goods. I congratulate writer/ Director Jennifer Kent on creating a terrific, intelligent and original tale that doesn't suffer from its limited budget. Essie Davis is superb in the role of Amelia,a dedicated single mother who struggles to contain her hyper-energetic and over imaginative son Sam, played with emotional talent by a young star in the making,Noah Wiseman. The bond between mother and son is completely believable and director Kent manages to extract incredible and powerful performances from the two actors. To say much more would be giving away how the story unfolds. There are plenty of chilling surprises, twists and occasional humour that adds up to the best Australian film thus far of 2014