The defence The Arthouse Gremlin
“Its refusal to behave is the point.”
The strange choices create the kind of friction that follows you out of the theatre and into the argument.
Back to trending 
The Babadook
Drama · Horror · 2014
A grieving single mother and her child fall into a deep well of paranoia when an eerie children's book manifests in their home.
Movie details
The Babadook
“If it's in a word, or it's in a look, you can't get rid of...”
2014 Drama · Horror 1h 34m
Critical arithmetic
One number, for now.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
6.5 / 10
Community rating
A grieving single mother and her child fall into a deep well of paranoia when an eerie children's book manifests in their home.
CriticWise case file
What this film says about your taste.
Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.
The archetype split
Who fights over The Babadook?
For the defence
The Arthouse Gremlin
“The stranger, the better.”
Read their case For the prosecution
The Popcorn Loyalist
“Big screen, big feelings, no apologies.”
Read their objectionThe split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.
Taste neighbourhood
Nearby on the taste map.
TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.
Birth/Rebirth
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Full Circle
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After the death of her daughter, wealthy housewife Julia Lofting abruptly leaves her husband and moves into an old Victorian home in London to re-start her life. All seems well until she is haunted by the sadness of losing her own child and the ghosts of other children.
The Eyes of My Mother
Drama · 2016
A young, lonely woman is consumed by her deepest and darkest desires after tragedy strikes her quiet country life.
The Keeping Hours
Drama · 2017
A supernatural love story that centers on two parents whose life together falls apart after their son dies. The man, now a successful lawyer, and the woman, now married and an author, get a chance at reconciliation ten years later.
Castle Freak
Thriller · 1996
John Reilly discovers that his family's newly inherited castle in Italy is haunted by a relentless, bloodthirsty creature.
Angel of Mine
Drama · 2019
A woman grieving over the death of her daughter loses grip of reality when she begins to think her girl may still be alive.
Presence
Drama · 2025
A couple and their children move into a seemingly normal suburban home. When strange events occur, they begin to believe there is something else in the house with them. The presence is about to disrupt their lives in unimaginable ways.
Bring Her Back
Horror · 2025
Following the death of their father, a brother and sister are sent to live with a foster mother, only to learn that she is hiding a terrifying secret.
Poltergeist
Horror · 1982
The Freelings' suburban home becomes the center of paranormal activity that opens a portal to the 'other side'. With help, they must cross over to get their daughter back.
Byzantium
Drama · 2013
Residents of a coastal town learn, with deadly consequences, the secret shared by the two mysterious women who have sought refuge at a local boarding house, the Byzantium.
Where it lives
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Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Jennifer Kent
Written by
Jennifer Kent
Essie Davis
Amelia Vanek
Noah Wiseman
Samuel Vanek
Hayley McElhinney
Claire
Daniel Henshall
Robbie
Barbara West
Gracie Roach
Ben Winspear
Oskar Vanek
C
Cathy Adamek
Prue
Court is in session
Put The Babadook on trial.
Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.
The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist
“Oddness is not depth.”
A film can break every rule and still leave nothing behind but the memory of how hard it tried to be singular.