By Staci Layne Wilson

It’s been years since a really and truly scary movie has grabbed the hearts and minds of the general public. Yes, there have been some genuine underground hits within the cult horror crowd, but nothing has generated buzz lately quite like a little indie from down-under – and it’s directed by a woman, to boot (first time helmer, Jennifer Kent). Even the director of The Exorcist –William Friedkin himself – has declared The Babadook to be “the scariest movie I have ever seen.”

So what’s all the fuss about? Well, the story goes like this: Amelia (Essie Davis) is the mousy mother of precocious and possibly even pernicious six-year-old Samuel (Noah Wiseman), whose father died on the day he was born. As a consequence of her loss and his difficult personality, Amelia finds Samuel almost impossible to love – and he knows it. His sleep is plagued by nightmares, while Amelia’s dreams are haunted by memories of her husband’s violent death. Theirs is an uneasy relationship at best. When a disturbing pop-up storybook called ‘The Babadook’ turns up at their house, Samuel is spooked and immediately convinced that Mr. Babadook is a sinister boogeyman hell-bent on destroying him and his mother. Then, strange things start to go bump in the night. Of course, they are only hallucinations… aren’t they?

The parent-child vibe is reminiscent of another excellent family-style horror movie called Joshua, which came out a few years back. Though it’s a restrained, stylish and sinister seduction into the realms of true terror, The Babadook does manage to dole out some hair-raising dread and suspense while also touching on themes of loss, grief and inner demons. It rattles the emotions just as much as it does the nerves – that’s good horror.

The Babadook is out on the big screen now, in limited release. Or you can catch it at home via VOD (Amazon Prime, and Google Play).

Unrated

1 Hour 43 Minutes