Review: The Babadook

Directed by Jennifer Kent
Written by Jennifer Kent
Starring Essie Davis (Amelia) and Noah Wiseman (Samuel)
Cinematography by Radek Ladczuk
Edited by Simon Njoo
Released in 2014

I'm happy to report that Jennifer Kent's debut avoids all of the problems that tend to befall modern, low-budget horror. The cinematography dodges the trend of desaturation and shakiness, the supernatural conceit is used to explore a real fear, the ambiguity of the eponymous monster is still present at the end, the sound design is oppressive, and the film is focused on two magnificent performances by Essie Davis and Noah Wiseman. 

Befitting a story centered on a cursed kid's book, there's an appealing exaggeration to the costuming, sets, and sound. The most common colors are black, blue, and white. This leads to a light/dark contrast that I'm not sure has a set purpose or scheme behind it (someone more observant will have to figure that out). If nothing else, it's visually stimulating. Red shows up as well, but less frequently and with more impact. Near the beginning, the hue only appears on the cover of the main book. As the plot progresses, red pops into pillows and furniture. After a key development, Amelia prominently dons a scarlet dress. The pattern is clearer here. 

Common noises like a finger massaging a temple or a hand gripping a bar are amplified for maximum discomfort. Even if you close your eyes, The Babadook can still get you. The heightened approach extends to the casting. The secondary characters all look slightly animated, as if they were chosen based on an immediately-noticeable physical trait as much as their acting ability. 

Special credit needs to be given to the team of artists that created the Babadook. If little seeds of German Expressionism can be found elsewhere, then that style achieves full bloom through the creature. Like the robotic workers in Metropolis or the muddy marsh in Sunrise, the monster is the externalization of an emotion. In this case, Amelia's grief over the death of her husband, her frustration with her son, and the worries over her lagging career (you can all of these play out perfectly on Davis’s face as well). The Babadook is a triumph of design and execution. Armed with elaborate claws and a Cheshire Cat-wide grin and draped in shabby formal wear, he (it?) resembles a being out of a foggy daydream induced by a 30's Disney short or an old silent film. Such a comparison is explicitly courted in a sequence where Amelia pictures the Babadook skulking around a Méliès-like flick playing on T.V.

Amelia and Samuel’s bogeyman is the rarest of rare in current cinema, an effective and understated use of CGI. I am unsure how exactly the Babadook was created. It looks like some combination of stop-motion, traditional animation, and computer generation. However, I doubt it could exist without modern aid, and, since the technology allows anything to be depicted, Kent could have easily put all of her money on the screen. Instead, she employs the Jaws method of showing only pieces of the antagonist. Thankfully, the full beast is never revealed, only hinted at, leaving its final form to the audience’s imagination.

P.S.

I’ve seen grumblings that The Babadook isn’t scary enough, and that the movie is a failure for this reason. Setting aside how subjective that opinion is, the other elements work far too well for it to be true. I will warn you that if you go in expecting a 90 minute frightfest or showers of gore, you’re going to be disappointed. It would be better to approach The Babadook as a psychologically and emotionally intense drama with tinges of the paranormal.  

P.P.S.

How fun is it to say Babadook? Baah-Baah DOOK DOOK DOOK!