The Babadook (2014)
If it's in a word, or it's in a look, you can't get rid of...
A grieving single mother and her child fall into a deep well of paranoia when an eerie children's book manifests in their home.
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| Type | Movie |
|---|---|
| Released | 22 May 2014 |
| Genre | Drama, Horror |
| Director | Jennifer Kent |
| Starring | Essie Davis, Noah Wiseman and Hayley McElhinney |
| Runtime | 94 min |
| Rated | NR |
| Scores | Rotten Tomatoes 98% · Rotten Tomatoes (average) 8.2/10 · Metacritic 86/100 · TMDB users 6.5/10 |
Where to watch The Babadook
We could not find The Babadook on any of the subscription services we track in the US right now. That changes often; open it in Binge Boss and we will show you where it lands.
Rent or buy
You can rent The Babadook on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube and Fandango at Home. It is also for sale on Apple TV, Prime Video and Fandango at Home.
Where to watch The Babadook in 16 other countries
| Country | Streaming on (price a month) |
|---|---|
| Australia | Prime Video $12.99 AUD, Paramount+ |
| Austria | Max €11.99 |
| Canada | Netflix $18.99 CAD |
| Denmark | Viaplay 159 kr DKK, Max 129 kr DKK |
| Finland | Viaplay €13.99, Max €11.99 |
| Germany | Max €11.99 |
| Guernsey | Prime Video |
| India | Prime Video ₹299 |
| Ireland | Max |
| Japan | U-NEXT ¥2189 JPY |
| Luxembourg | Max |
| Norway | Viaplay 169 kr NOK, Max 149 kr NOK |
| Portugal | Filmin |
| South Korea | Wavve ₩10900, Watcha, Tving ₩10900 |
| Sweden | Viaplay 169 kr SEK, Max 149 kr SEK |
| United Kingdom | Prime Video £8.99 GBP, Max £9.99 GBP |
Subscription, free and ad-supported services we track; prices where Binge Boss has a price list for the country. "About" marks a price the service bills in another currency, converted at the day's rate. All countries as data.
What kind of watch this is
The Babadook is a 2014 drama and horror film directed by Jennifer Kent. It runs 94 minutes, a duration that feels just long enough for the dread to settle into your bones before the final act hits. The story centers on Amelia and her son Samuel, who are pulled into a spiral of paranoia after an eerie children’s book manifests in their home. It is not a jump-scare movie in the traditional sense. The tension comes from the quiet, suffocating weight of grief that refuses to be put away. If you like horror that feels like a psychological breakdown rather than a physical threat, this is the one.
What the critics said
Critics found it hard to look away. Rotten Tomatoes reports a 98% approval rating based on 248 reviews, as of October 2021. Metacritic assigns a 86/100 Metascore, indicating universal acclaim. Glenn Kenny called it "the finest and most genuinely provocative horror movie to emerge in this still very-new century." Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian described it as a "Freudian thriller," praising the direction.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched The Babadook.
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Sources
- The Babadook on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q16011764 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “The Babadook” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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