The Babadook

You've heard of feel-good films, well this is not one. It's creepy and disturbing pretty well all the way, a good old horror fantasy with a nod to the psychological canniness of Nightmare on Elm Street but much more economical in terms of special effects, casting and I would imagine budget. It nevertheless maintains tension and atmosphere along with some high-flying dramatic sequences from the actors which bear comparison with The Exorcist. The plot also connects nicely with the psychological and existential conflicts facing a single mother whose son's birth coincided with the tragic death of her husband, and the whole nasty Babadook phenomenon, and its unresolved outcome, can certainly be read as an allegory of this traumatic event. Maybe it's over-reading to say the film also contains a Nietszchian lesson about the importance of embracing every aspect of one's life and history, no matter how horrific - but it works for me. The acting is amazingly good from the two leads, although the supporting characters are a bit stereotyped, a directing decision presumably. Sets and locations are charged with a bleak gloom, and the colour accordingly verges on monochrome. Love the specially made children's book, and Mr Babadook's physical character, as well as the wonderfully curated vintage movie footage appearing throughout on the TV screen. And a special word for the very fine intricately crafted sound design.

Amelia is a single mom struggling with hyper-active 6 year old son Samuel with a constant need for weapons to defend himself from unseen monsters. Her husband died in a car accident driving her to the hospital to have Samuel. The school is scared to keep him with the other kids. Even her sister Claire is afraid of Samuel especially to play with her own daughter Ruby. She finds a disturbing children's book about the Babadook. This sets off a scary series of events.

Normally, I hate annoying kids but this kid is brilliantly annoying. It's such a fascinating character and the mother's suffering can really be felt. I did expect this to turn into a monster movie but it becomes more of a psychological thriller which is perfectly great. The turn in Amelia is terrific. On a minor note, a scarier Babadook could have been even better.

The Babadook surprised me on two counts.

First, as someone who doesn't often get the warm fuzzies at spooky films, this did. It's a well acted, believable account of a mum and child being haunted by a seemingly malevolent 'thing'. Effective jumps and creeping tension are handled well.

But I was surprised again by the end, as I came away seeing it as an allegory for deep grief and a way through it. I found it quite moving, the mum finding a place for that darkness, finally taking control of it.

A single mother (Essie Davis), plagued by the violent death of her husband, battles with her son (Noah Wiseman)'s fear of a monster lurking in the house, but soon discovers a sinister presence all around her.

Some people find this film terrifying, some just find it eerie. If nothing else, it stands out as original. Writer-director Jennifer Kent hits a home run, taking what she learned from her very unusual film school (watching Lars von Trier) and incorporating it here. But it is so much more than good direction and excellent framing.

This is a film that could fail if the elements were off. If the creature effects were cheesy, it would not be as scary. If the mother was not as convincing, it would not be so emotional. And Noah Wiseman? Wow. Few child actors are able to perform on this level. The last one with this much talent that comes to mind is Chloe Moretz. Give this kid more roles, and give them to him now.

There's a demon likes to get inside your mind, if he enters he can be a bit unkind, takes you down a winding path, a quite determined sociopath, doesn't care what trauma that he leaves behind. It's the kind of shade that's often caught alone, the recipient may feel they don't belong, an imposter in their world, wearing a mask fully unfurled, all life's treasures we take for granted, simply gone.

A stellar performance from Essie Davis in a film that will get you thinking about the effects life's challenges present and how you deal with them, albeit through the eyes of one possessed by demonic urges they can't control while becoming a silhouette of themselves.