The Babadook – The Babadook
As far as the horror films of 2014 go, The Babadook is my favorite of the bunch by a significant margin. If you haven’t seen it, I’m completely okay with your leaving to watch it right now.
What writer and director Jennifer Kent managed to accomplish with The Babadook is nothing short of spectacular. It’s terrifying, atmospheric, hauntingly beautiful, and intimate. That last word isn’t one I often use to describe a horror film, though I wish that wasn’t the case. This is an unforgettable film, and part of its success comes from its deeply unnerving antagonist, the eponymous Babadook.
This guy isn’t an icon in the same way that Freddy, Michael and Jason are, but what the Babadook lacks in a legacy it more than makes up for by being shit-out-your-spine terrifying.
We’re shown enough of the creature throughout the film to get an idea of what it looks like, but never enough for it to stop raising the hairs on the back of my neck and arms every time it’s given screen time. Plus, since it has the nifty ability to take whatever form it likes, that would give Netherrealm some creative license should it creep into Mortal Kombat X.
