The Babadook

Name: The Babadook
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Horror
Released: November 28, 2014
Duration: 93 min
Rating: 86
Cast: Barbara West, Daniel Henshall, Essie Davis, Hayley McElhinney, Noah Wiseman

2014

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 34 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 1223 Ratings

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8.4

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8.4	User Score Universal acclaim based on 1223 Ratings

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The Babadook

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Movie Details & Credits

IFC Films | Release Date: November 28, 2014 | Not Rated

Starring: Barbara West, Daniel Henshall, Essie Davis, Hayley McElhinney, Noah Wiseman

Summary: Six years after the violent death of her husband, Amelia (Essie Davis) is at a loss. She struggles to discipline her ‘out of control’ 6 year-old, Samuel (Noah Wiseman), a son she finds impossible to love. Samuel’s dreams are plagued by a monster he believes is coming to kill them both. When a disturbing storybook called The Babadook turnsSix years after the violent death of her husband, Amelia (Essie Davis) is at a loss. She struggles to discipline her ‘out of control’ 6 year-old, Samuel (Noah Wiseman), a son she finds impossible to love. Samuel’s dreams are plagued by a monster he believes is coming to kill them both. When a disturbing storybook called The Babadook turns up at their house, Samuel is convinced that the Babadook is the creature he’s been dreaming about. His hallucinations spiral out of control, and he becomes more unpredictable and violent. Amelia, genuinely frightened by her son’s behavior, is forced to medicate him. But when Amelia begins to see glimpses of a sinister presence all around her, it slowly dawns on her that the thing Samuel has been warning her about may be real. [IFC Films]… Expand

Director: Jennifer Kent

Genre(s): Drama, Thriller, Horror

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 93 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Dana Stevens

Dec 15, 2014

The Babadook creates tension not with jump scares or chase sequences but with judicious editing and slow-burn suspense—that is, until it descends into a final half-hour of harrowing emotional and physical intensity, an extended climax that made me gasp aloud, hide my eyes, and weep at least twice. Read full review

100

Joshua Rothkopf

Jan 26, 2014

On purely formal grounds (the ones on which the genre lives or dies), Kent is a natural. She favors crisp compositions and unfussy editing, transforming the banal house itself into a subtle, shadowy threat. Read full review

David Rooney

Jan 26, 2014

Kent and editor Simon Njoo show maturity and trust in their material, expertly building tension through the insidious modulation from naturalistic dysfunctional family drama to all-out boogeyman terror. Read full review

Marc Mohan

Dec 18, 2014

If film's rapturous reception is due in part to the rarity of filmmaking this skillful within the horror genre, it's hard to begrudge this near-masterpiece of unease any of the praise it's gotten. Read full review

Bill Goodykoontz

Dec 11, 2014

The Babadook is a terrific horror film. Read full review

Jordan Hoffman

Nov 25, 2014

So many horror films trade depth for a thrill. The Babadook has both. It dispenses with cheap scares and draws tension from a slowly enveloping dread. And when you think you know where it’s going, that’s when it goes in for the kill. Read full review

McClatchy-Tribune News Service Roger Moore

Nov 25, 2014

Manages to pop the hairs on the back of your neck more than most repetitive, predictable and gory Hollywood horror films these days. Read full review

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User Reviews

mattaborne

Aug 14, 2016

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This movie is phenomenal and gut wrenching. I was on the edge of my seat the entire movie. With amazing acting performances by the two main roles, The Babadook is an amazing movie that portrays real life situations.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

horcrux2007

Dec 4, 2014

"The Babadook" is a crazy, scary, metaphor-rich, and beautifully creepy psychological horror-drama. The ambiguities, amazing cinematography, and subtle imagery make the movie so terrifying, rather than the jump-scare fest it could have been. The house itself is so dark and morbid, which"The Babadook" is a crazy, scary, metaphor-rich, and beautifully creepy psychological horror-drama. The ambiguities, amazing cinematography, and subtle imagery make the movie so terrifying, rather than the jump-scare fest it could have been. The house itself is so dark and morbid, which perfectly reflects the somber tone of the film. The acting from both Essie Davis and Noah Wiseman (a very talented young actor) was outstanding and made the tension between mother and son so realistic. This movie will mostly appeal to the horror buff due to its slow pace, but I give it my highest recommendation.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

riaan_radiohead

Nov 28, 2014

Far from traditional, this is by far the best horror film released in the past five years. Like the scariest bits taken from David Lynch but stretched over a 90 minute running time. The Babadook is a highly accomplished debut feature - great film making, powerfully performed and utterly terrifying.

58 of 74 users found this helpful5816

IAmaMovieGeek

Apr 23, 2020

One of the best modern horror films to this day. It's actually pretty terrifying, and the camerawork is fantastic. The mom actor was phenomenal in this movie. Please check this out if you want to see a modern horror masterpiece. 8/10

0 of 18 users found this helpful018

drlowdon

Aug 7, 2017

The Babadook has a few pacing issues but by forgoing the clichéd jump scares in favour of psychological horror it is more interesting than many recent Hollywood efforts in the genre.

0 of 7 users found this helpful07

FilipeNeto

Aug 22, 2018

This horror film revolves around the difficult relationship between an imaginative and active son and his mother, a recent widow, both of whom seek to overcome the trauma of a very poorly resolved mourning. From an early moment, we understand the difficulties that the child brings to hisThis horror film revolves around the difficult relationship between an imaginative and active son and his mother, a recent widow, both of whom seek to overcome the trauma of a very poorly resolved mourning. From an early moment, we understand the difficulties that the child brings to his mother, both of which are very poorly understood by all those around them. Sooner, the poor mother seems closer to a fit of nerves or deep depression. This finally happens when the character of a children's book (apparently written by herself) begins to take on a life of its own and to terrorize mother and child. The film is a lesson about depression, mourning and trauma. Sometimes, the bogeyman lives within ourselves and its us that we should be afraid of. The scares exist but the tense and terrifying atmosphere is something that is hardly ignored. Concerning actors, Essie Davis is the protagonist and carries the film on her back with great courage, presenting herself without makeup in order to look much more worn, as it requires her character. She is undoubtedly an artist of great talent, capable of embodying difficult characters.… Expand

0 of 5 users found this helpful05

Paddzonik

Jul 10, 2023

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The dog dies! The film was going okay a bit slow but the dog dies so I have no choice!… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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22	#22 Best Movie of 2014
27	#27 Most Discussed Movie of 2014
8	#8 Most Shared Movie of 2014