Babadook Better Guide

Jennifer Kent’s approach to The Babadook was influenced by a love of classic cinema and a desire to see real human issues explored through genre. She cited The Shining and The Innocents as inspirations, and it shows in the film's atmosphere—a crumbling, Gothic house that feels both claustrophobic and expansive.

This is the most realistic depiction of managing chronic depression in cinema history. You don't kill the monster. You name it, you lock it in the basement, and you move on. Babadook

Consider the logistics of Amelia’s life: Jennifer Kent’s approach to The Babadook was influenced

Amelia drags the writhing, dissolving creature down to her basement. She locks the door. The final shot cuts to a week later. Amelia and Samuel are making breakfast, laughing. They are healthy. Samuel strokes her hair. "I love you, Mum," he says. Then, Amelia goes to the basement. She opens a small door and places a plate of worms on the floor. The Babadook is still down there, screeching in the dark. She closes the door. She returns to the table. "Can I have some chocolate milk, Mum?" Samuel asks. "Of course," she smiles. You don't kill the monster

The film follows Amelia (Essie Davis), a widowed mother struggling to raise her six-year-old son, Samuel (Noah Wiseman). Six years prior to the film’s events, Amelia’s husband died in a violent car crash while driving her to the hospital to give birth to Samuel.