Jennifer Kent wrote and directed The Babadook, with Essie Davis, Noah Wiseman, Daniel Henshall, and Hayley McElhinney in the cast. Jed Kurzel composed the music, and Radek Ladczuk was the cinematographer. The story centers on Amelia, a single mother struggling to cope with her husband's past death while also trying to manage her young son Samuel’s fear of a monster inhabiting their home. Initially dismissing his fears as childish imagination, things change when a book called Mr. Babadook mysteriously appears in Samuel’s room, marking the beginning of a disturbing presence that begins to affect Amelia too. Australia has been creating some impressive horror films recently, and The Babadook stands out among them. Jennifer Kent initially developed the concept as a ten-minute short film titled Monster in 2005—a remarkably effective piece of horror filmmaking—and now she’s expanded it into a full-length feature (her first), where her vision and intelligence are evident throughout. While the basic idea isn't entirely original, Kent manages to make The Babadook something unique, skillfully avoiding predictable scares. This is especially welcome given the current landscape of horror films filled with sequels and excessive violence. At its heart, this is a character-driven story about a mother and son confronting their personal struggles before the titular Babadook even appears. Viewers become invested in these troubled individuals, so when dread sets in and chills run down your spine, you also feel empathy for them. The performances from the actors are truly outstanding. Mr. Babadook is a pop-up book that unexpectedly enters their lives. The creature itself seems to be inspired by German Expressionist cinema and Jack the Ripper. The book is unsettling on its own, but becomes even more frightening as it takes on an increasingly sinister tone—and Amelia’s attempts to get rid of it prove futile. This allows the film to explore psychological themes with depth. The monster is mostly kept out of view, appearing briefly in unexpected places, which works well for the narrative. The technical aspects are all excellent. To fully appreciate The Babadook, it's important to turn up the volume because the sound design is incredible and can elicit a strong physical reaction. Ladczuk’s cinematography complements the film’s themes, using muted colors to emphasize the fractured mental states of mother and son, while Mr. Babadook remains a stark black presence within this world. Overall, the artistic design—from the book itself to the house and the creature—is superb. Umbrella's Australian All Region Blu-ray release offers a great picture quality and does justice to the sound mix. There’s over an hour of interviews, which are somewhat uneven in quality, along with a twelve-minute behind-the-scenes featurette and some trailers. A bonus is the original ten-minute short film, Monster—The Babadook in its earliest form—which remains quite frightening. The Babadook is an exceptional horror movie for adults, reminiscent of what might have happened if Polanski collaborated with Kubrick to pay tribute to Fritz Lang and George Melies. It’s that good. 10/10

Source on TMDB