The Verdict
Jennifer Kent, 당신의 debut feature이 gross modest 7 million on roughly 2 million, 그리고 그후 quietly became one most influential 공포 film its era. 그건 matter하는 part. pop up book monster가 hook이지만, 모든 누구나 watched 당신이 know real 공포: 이건 film about 슬픔 그리고 depression wearing top hat. Essie Davis as overwhelmed, mourning mother이 give performance that so raw 그것이 earned major acclaim 그리고 carry entire film on its frayed nerve.
now honest jab. leaning so hard into allegory that mean 당신의 literal scare이 restrained인데, slice horror crowd이 wanted monster to do more monstering. kid이 by design이 exhausting to spend time with인데, 그건 point 그리고 also genuine endurance test 청중에게. 당신의 symbolism이 potent하지만 not subtle: by time Babadook이 living in basement에서, metaphor이 practically narrating itself. 당신이 psychological drama 그건 occasionally let boogeyman in되고, 그 balance가 won't satisfy viewer 누구나 온 순수하게 spooked.
bright side이 당신의 legacy고, 그것이 huge다. 당신이 prove했다 공포가 가장 honest 장르일 수 있다 talking about grief에 대해서, 그것 monster를 할 수 있다 be mood disorder 당신이 learn to live with 대신 defeat. Critic이 당신에게 handed 86 Metascore exactly 그 때문에. 그리고 most strangest victory에 공포 역사에서, Babadook이 escaped film entirely to become unlikely LGBTQ pride meme icon 같이. 당신이 didn't just make scary 영화. 당신이 make creature 그것이 outgrew 그것의 own story, 그건 dream이다.
What it nails
- ▲Essie Davis이 deliver devastating performance as overwhelmed, grieving mother.
- ▲read powerfully as allegory for 슬픔 그리고 depression rather than literal monster.
- ▲earned 86 Metascore 그리고 became hugely influential on roughly 2 million 예산.
- ▲Babadook's design이 iconic 충분히 to escape into pop culture as pride meme icon.
What it botches
- ▼prioritize allegory over literal scare이 leave jump scare fan wanting more from monster.
- ▼child character이 by design이 exhausting 그리고 real endurance test to sit with.
- ▼grief metaphor이 get so overt 그것이 nearly narrate itself by finale.
- ▼그것의 psychological drama balance이 won't satisfy viewer 누구나 온 purely spooked.
Who it's for
공포 fan 누구나 want emotional gut punch 그리고 metaphor, 그리고 누구나 know grief이 most 공포 in house.
Who should skip
viewer 누구나 want literal creature feature with frequent scare, not slow allegory about depression.
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