FILM REVIEW: THE BABADOOK (15)

Smarter than the average scare.

A horror film you probably haven’t even heard of is the one film you should see this Halloween weekend.

Whenever I switch on the television or open up a magazine, I’m seeing statements that films such as Horns and Ouija are the ‘must-see’ films for Halloween. If you’re looking for a movie where you can leave your brain at home – filled with cheap thrills – then yes, go see one of those.

But, if you’re looking for something a bit more psychological and thought-provoking, then I recommended The Babadook. Unfortunately, it’s a film that’s not all over our television screens and magazines so you’ll just have to trust me… it’s worth a watch!

The story focuses of Amelia (Essie Davis) and her 6-year-old son, Samuel (Noah Wiseman). Since the tragic death of her husband, Amelia has struggled to control Samuel – who becomes increasingly difficult. Things become even worse when the boy is read a disturbing book called ‘The Babadook’ – which features a sinister creature. Samuel is convinced that this creature (The Babadook) is haunting their home and wants to kill them, and it isn’t long before the mother starts to think so too.

Essie Davis and Noah Wiseman were a great casting choice for the lead roles. Both are able to pull off some pretty intense scenes, and on some occasions, left me with goosebumps.

It has to be said that The Babadook is not a film for everybody. Some may say that the movie is too slow-paced with not enough scares – after all, we don’t even see the creature until half way through the flick. The ending will split the room also, but if you analyse it (or Google it!) then you’ll realise it’s actually a pretty smart one. Thank you for that Google.

Ultimately, this is probably not the film you were expecting to see, but it’s the film you should see.

Watch The Babadook (and much more) at the Showcase Cinema now. Visit www.showcasecinemas.co.uk for the latest up-to-date showtimes. You can also join the chat on Twitter @showcasecinemas or on Facebook by searching for ‘Showcase Cinemas UK’.

Mikey Clarke

Genre: Horror

Cast: Essie Davis, Noah Wiseman, Hayley McElhinney & Barbara West

Running Time: 1hr 34 mins

Written/Directed by: Jennifer Kent

See it if you liked: Hide and Seek & What Lies Beneath [youtube id=”k5WQZzDRVtw” width=”600″ height=”350″]