If you want a movie to thrill your inner demons you have to look no further than the Babadook. This psychological horror delves into the symbolic spectrum of our innermost monsters brought to life in a transition from outer to inner demons that torment the troubled mother. Can this monster be overcome through love and the will power of the mother is the real question that thrills the viewer throughout this film. This story centers around two characters, Samuel and Amelia, a child and single mother still plagued by the loss of her husband and Samuel's father. The bleak ambient lighting combined with the dull misc-en-scene of the gray lifeless house in which most of the story takes place help the audience to sympathize with the troubled mother and express her grief burdened world. At the same time throughout the film the child's high pitched screams and reckless behavior from his overactive imagination and fear of monsters further agitates the mother's fragile state. With this atmosphere in place the monster created straight from a child's imagination is introduced through a storybook. The monster who only gets stronger the more it is denied torments the little family and the mother especially. The mother becomes through her denial of the monster the monster herself. This psychological transition is seen as her outbursts towards her son's behavior continues to grow in ferocity. This grows and the monster grows as well and allows the viewer to see the parallel and the question again becomes can she overcome that monster.
Reviews
2 Reviews
The House of the Devil
(2009)
Critique of the overall movie
12 March 2017
House of the Devil is a film that delves the audience into an atmosphere of a classical slasher film. The scenery and style of the misc-en-scene throughout the film heavily mirrors that of the ideal 80s slasher such as Halloween. The scenery in the film is one of its defining characteristics that help this movie stand out from other modern day horror films that rely heavily on special effects.
The overall best aspect of this film is its growing suspense. This is not a movie for those who love gore and constant assault on the senses. For the grand majority of the movie the audience held down by so much expectation it becomes almost unbearable. The audience grows attached to the very attractive main character (Jocelin Donahue) who despite her and her friend's best efforts to be sensible throughout the film falls victim to classic horror movie stereotypes. This attraction and connection to the main character as the suspense continues to build at a grueling pace make this part of the film truly great.
The excellent use of growing suspense throughout the film is also its biggest downfall as the audience is filled to the brim with expectation only to have that feeling shattered by a very rushed ending. The ending assaults your senses too fast and is too unbelievable. The audience becomes disconnected as the realistic suspense of the majority of the film at this grueling pace is replaced by an unrealistic ending that happens all too fast.
Another positive aspect of this film that should be mentioned is the comic relief of the best friend (Greta Gerwig) delivering excellent amount of fun in the face of this growing suspense.
Overall the majority of this film has all the aspects of a classical slasher of growing suspense. However, the pacing at the end and the disconnect from this suspenseful first half of the film served as a large disappointment.
The overall best aspect of this film is its growing suspense. This is not a movie for those who love gore and constant assault on the senses. For the grand majority of the movie the audience held down by so much expectation it becomes almost unbearable. The audience grows attached to the very attractive main character (Jocelin Donahue) who despite her and her friend's best efforts to be sensible throughout the film falls victim to classic horror movie stereotypes. This attraction and connection to the main character as the suspense continues to build at a grueling pace make this part of the film truly great.
The excellent use of growing suspense throughout the film is also its biggest downfall as the audience is filled to the brim with expectation only to have that feeling shattered by a very rushed ending. The ending assaults your senses too fast and is too unbelievable. The audience becomes disconnected as the realistic suspense of the majority of the film at this grueling pace is replaced by an unrealistic ending that happens all too fast.
Another positive aspect of this film that should be mentioned is the comic relief of the best friend (Greta Gerwig) delivering excellent amount of fun in the face of this growing suspense.
Overall the majority of this film has all the aspects of a classical slasher of growing suspense. However, the pacing at the end and the disconnect from this suspenseful first half of the film served as a large disappointment.
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