“The Babadook” was one the Surprise hits 2014, not only conquered numerous genre film festivals, but also advanced – with 98 percent positive votes Rotten Tomatoes and 86 points MetaCritic – even one of the best-reviewed films of its year. And as a horror film. Master director and The Exorcist creator William Friedkin went one step further: He even called The Babadook the scariest movie he’s ever seen!
Whether the horror story, which dispenses with cheap jump scares and instead relies on lifelike horror, also lives up to these laurels, you can now find out for yourself in a particularly convenient way – at least if you have the right streaming subscription for it. Then “The Babadook” is now included in the subscription to Amazon Prime Video:
» “The Babadook” on Amazon Prime Video*
The unabridged film, which is approved for ages 16 and over, is of course available in full length. So you can’t expect a bloodthirsty battle record, but rather horror that goes through marrow and bone, which mainly takes place in the head – and reverberates there long after the credits have finished.
The Babadook centers on Amelia (Essie Davis), who struggles with loss even years after the death of her husband, and her son, Samuel (Noah Wiseman), who causes increasing grief for his mother. He is plagued by nightmares in which they both get killed – and then he comes across Mister Babadook’s horror story.
According to the Scriptures, anyone who takes a look at the book will never get rid of the terrifying figure that is up to mischief and gives the book its title. And in fact, Samuel’s behavior changes shortly thereafter: the boy becomes more and more unpredictable, more and more aggressive. And so Amelia, who initially does not believe in the supernatural visitation, fears that something is not right here…
“The Babadook” is a must for all fans of horror stories in which the viewer is repeatedly confronted with the same question: What is really real here – and what is just a pipe dream?
Jennifer Kent’s directorial debut is full of metaphors and symbolism, ranging from brilliantly staged horror sequences to small, often hidden, ambiguous details – the horrific visions are supported, for example, by the names of the neighbor Mrs. Roach (= cockroach) and the dog Bugsy (= bug or beetle). For our review author Thomas Vorwerk, it’s hints like these that make the story seem a little too constructed in the end. For the “disturbing horror film” with “conspicuous message” Despite deductions in the B grade, there is still a good 3.5 out of 5 possible stars in the end.
Tip: If you want to see more from Jennifer Kent, we can also recommend her second feature film “The Nightingale”. Set in the 19th century, the revenge thriller not only scores with a story that is as tragic as it is oppressive, but above all with hard-hitting horror inserts, which ultimately even earned it an FSK 18 rating.
*The link to the Amazon offer is a so-called affiliate link. If you make a purchase through this link, we will receive a commission.
