If Mark Hartley’s documentary Not Quite Hollywood set out to prove anything, it’s that Australia’s national cinema was founded on exploitation and genre fare, including horror. Aussie writer-director Jennifer Kent continues her country’s proud film tradition with her feature debut The Babadook. The selection recently premiered at Sundance to rave reviews, and now a trailer was released to show what the fuss is all about.
Starring Essie Davis and Noah Wiseman, the spooky supernatural tale follows a widow and her young son as they’re haunted by a mysterious creature. With its dark atmosphere and a bogeyman straight out of Tim Burton’s nightmares, the trailer’s footage sends out enough creepy vibes to tempt even the most skeptical horror fan. See the trailer and synopsis via io9 below:
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 behaviour, 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.
The Babadook is currently seeking distribution.
Based on the trailer, do you think The Babadook is worth the hype?