[demonrail666]

Originally Posted by Severian

You know, I actually think the kid was in some way a part of the film's "horror" presence. I mean, that little fucker was AWFUL. My girlfriend and I actually high fived each other at one point for having successfully managed to not have kids despite the weird pressures that are are heaped on us by our friends who are married and parents.

If I recall correctly, that film turned out to be kind of a "sympathetic" horror film. I use the term loosely, but what I mean by that is that the antagonist either is or is somehow related to something the protagonists have to sort of grow to accept (kind of like those Japanese ghost flicks that involve a spirit that needs the help of the main character to "move on"... y'know?)

Anyway, I think the mother in Babadook is just as terrified of and frustrated by her child as we are. And I think the kid is part of the terror. The subliminal knowledge that the mom would love to be rid of that little shit.

But then the kid (somewhat inexplicably if I recall) kind of does a 180, and becomes more parental just as the mother starts to go really bonkers.

I don't know. I was trying to figure out why William Friedkin put so much energy into suppprting and talking up the movie. I think it must be partly due to the fact that much like in the exorcist, the horrors bit very close to home and are compounded by the characters' relationships.

It was a good horror flick. Scary imagery, for sure. Very well conceived. But it also may have been a great horror flick because the mere act of watching it elicits such a negative and honestly kind of upsetting response from viewers, who all hate the child and are uncomfortable as hell with that. I think the best horror breaks down borders of what "horror" is supposed to be, and gives us a deeply disquieting feeling even when the supernatural shit isn't happening. Babadook does that. But I'd have to watch it again before I make any decisive statements about its greatness. After one viewing, about a year ago, I think of it as a high-average horror movie. Like maybe a 6-7/10. With 10 being Suspiria and Let the Right One In and the like, and 0 being, like, I know what you did last summer or whatever.

I've only seen it once and still don't really know what I think of it. I probably respect it more than like it but it does stand out as something different. Although I get the feeling it's a horror film more popular with people who aren't necessarily big horror film fans.