The Babadook

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The Babadook

2014

1h 33m

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

98%

Tomatometer

250 Reviews

72%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

Six years after the violent death of her husband, Amelia (Essie Davis) is at a loss. She struggles to discipline her 'out of control' 6 year-old, Samuel (Noah Wiseman), a son she finds impossible to love. Samuel's dreams are plagued by a monster he believes is coming to kill them both. When a disturbing storybook called 'The Babadook' turns up at their house, Samuel is convinced that the Babadook is the creature he’s been dreaming about. His hallucinations spiral out of control, he becomes more unpredictable and violent. Amelia, genuinely frightened by her son's behavior, is forced to medicate him. But when Amelia begins to see glimpses of a sinister presence all around her, it slowly dawns on her that the thing Samuel has been warning her about may be real.

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Critics Consensus

The Babadook relies on real horror rather than cheap jump scares -- and boasts a heartfelt, genuinely moving story to boot.

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Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

Sep 1, 2017

B+

Nestled deep within this teeny Australian thriller packs a simple yet profound message about what it often feels like to be a single parent, and even what it feels like to be the child of that parent.

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Charlotte O'Sullivan

London Evening Standard

Oct 5, 2016

4/5

The Babadook's villains and victims are still running amok in my brain. I think they might be there for some time.

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Noel Murray

Nashville Scene

Oct 5, 2016

What's most terrifying about The Babadook is that Kent grounds a bizarre supernatural premise in very real feelings of anxiety and depression.

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Lexi Amoriello

Movie Recs by Lex

Jul 10, 2026

Kent knows how to create a compelling story that is both frightening and poignant. The mother-son relationship depicted in the film is heartbreaking and tumultuous.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Jan 1, 2026

3.5/4

How’s this for an endorsement? William Friedkin, who directed the movie often called the scariest ever made (The Exorcist), stated that "I’ve never seen a more terrifying film than The Babadook." That’s a hell of a plug.

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Bryce Hanson

Horror Movie Talk

Sep 23, 2025

10/10

This film is an obvious homage to the German expressionist silent films of the 20s that established the earliest foundations of the horror film genre. It is also a deeply modern exploration of grief, the stresses of parenthood, and mental health crises.

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Kimberly H

Oct 15, 2026

An art house horror film with an incredible, relevant theme and a purpose.

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Walker P

@walkerbprince 12 hrs ago

Interesting concept but it was very boring until the very end. For being only an hour and a half long, it felt like an eternity. It’s fine, but it would probably just be better to watch a video deep diving into the plot and meaning behind the movie.

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M M

@Gotenkslovesme 2 days ago

This film is one made better when rewatching and better understanding the allegories.

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Landon G

@grizzle00 Oct 22, 2026

A heavy, deeply psychological slow-burn that uses its supernatural elements as a brilliant metaphor for the crushing exhaustion of grief and parenting burnout. While the pacing in the middle can be a bit tough to get through, the emotional core is phenomenal. It captures the raw frustration of raising a challenging child and culminates in a unique, poignant ending about learning to live with your inner demons rather than magically defeating them. A thoughtful, standout psychological horror.

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R T

@RT44834321 Oct 20, 2026

The movie tackles interesting subjects such as the act of raising a special need child while being alone and also the struggles of grief. This being said it was pretty much the only good thing about the movie. I never liked children and that kid just made it 10x worse. To say you can only root for the demon to win and kill him is ab understatement. I am special need myself and this was still torture to watch. To add to it the monster is impossible to take seriously and the movie just isn’t scary. Nice try but not worth the watch.

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Rian M

@SoloUtilitaRian Oct 18, 2026

This one stays with you long after the credits roll. It works brilliantly as a scary monster movie, but underneath it is a proper heavy story about grief and parenthood. Genuinely creepy, brilliantly acted, and leaves a cold chill right down your spine. We have watched it about 6 times now. My 13yr old loves it too.

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Jennifer Kent

Director

Essie Davis

Amelia

Daniel Henshall

Robbie

Noah Wiseman

Samuel

Hayley McElhinney

Claire

Barbara West

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1:17

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Synopsis

Six years after the violent death of her husband, Amelia (Essie Davis) is at a loss. She struggles to discipline her 'out of control' 6 year-old, Samuel (Noah Wiseman), a son she finds impossible to love. Samuel's dreams are plagued by a monster he believes is coming to kill them both. When a disturbing storybook called 'The Babadook' turns up at their house, Samuel is convinced that the Babadook is the creature he’s been dreaming about. His hallucinations spiral out of control, he becomes more unpredictable and violent. Amelia, genuinely frightened by her son's behavior, is forced to medicate him. But when Amelia begins to see glimpses of a sinister presence all around her, it slowly dawns on her that the thing Samuel has been warning her about may be real.

Director: Jennifer Kent
Producer: Kristina Ceyton, Kristian Moliere
Screenwriter: Jennifer Kent
Distributor: IFC Films
Production Co: Causeway Films, Entertainment One, Smoking Gun Productions
Genre: Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: Australian English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 28, 2014, Limited
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Sep 19, 2024
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 5, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $933.1K
Runtime: 1h 33m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

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