How ‘The Babadook’ Became the Most Iconic Horror Movie of the Decade
How ‘The Babadook’ Became the Most Iconic Horror Movie of the Decade
The game-changing film turns 10 this week. We chatted with director Jennifer Kent about its unexpected success, her favorite pop culture references, and its growing legacy.
“If it’s in a word, or it’s in a look, you can’t get rid of the Babadook,” goes the famous line in Jennifer Kent’s 2014 horror classic of that name. Ten years after its original release, though, The Babadook’s storybook rhyme needs updating: Today, it’s in sitcoms, reality TV competitions, and stop-motion sketch comedy shows, too. Like Amelia (Essie Davis) and her son, Samuel (Noah Wiseman), popular culture can’t get rid of the nattily-attired boogeyman; unlike mother and son, pop culture apparently likes keeping him around, if we go by the number of times he’s surfaced in unexpected places over the last decade.
IFCFilms and ICONIC Events are re-releasing The Babadook to commemorate its 10th anniversary, two months ahead of its premiere in U.S. theaters; the movie debuted worldwide at the Sundance Film Festival’s 2014 edition, and did the rounds at other fests until its November opening. This is great news for the folks who missed the film at the time, comprising “most” on account of the scant number of screens it played on—a sign of the times, predating the horror new wave that crested later in the decade and continues to roll over the industry in 2024. To watch The Babadook now is to witness the seismic event that stirred the wave...
Iconic? Really? If you say so.
Even worse, "most iconic"?
It was a good film, I enjoyed it. Although, I remember laughing at certain scenes, sometimes finding it a bit on the nose. I would have liked to see more screen time with the Babadook itself, to add to the horror aspect. Another criticism is the feeling of tension constantly being built throughout the film, which never let up, but it felt like that momentum merely evaporated. I found myself feeling a little underwhelmed towards the end. However, I did like the (fairly obvious) symbolism of grief and trauma, and the overall message of the film. It relied more so on emotion rather than cheap scares. Overall, I really enjoyed the film, it definitely went against the grain and the tense atmosphere it created was excellent.
Eh, it was an interesting idea, definitely watch it more like a room-style “black comedy” as opposed to a serious horror attempt. The idea of a picture book “spawning” the monster entity was neat, I like that it’s left sort of ambiguous whether the Babadook was real or is more of an allegory for emotional trauma.
It’s just hard to take seriously at times when everyone besides the lead gives such hammy performances.