Those that approach The Babadook expecting anything resembling traditional Horror will most likely be disappointed. Sure, there is a “monster” that makes several appearances and is quite unsettling, but it isn’t long before you start to piece together that the entire thing is an allegory for grief. Or something.

The film is honestly kind of punishing. Not an easy watch. Everyone seems so miserable; the color palette is basically “no colors anywhere ever!”; and the kid is just… awful. A lot of people held issue with the kid, saying he ruined the film for them. But I believe that’s the point. By the time the film wraps I’m exhausted and frustrated and ready to wring the kid’s neck myself. Fun! You’re basically seeing the world through lead character Amelia’s eyes (I think), and it does a bang-up job of getting you there and knocking you around for a while.

While reading up on the movie today I stumbled upon an article about the Babadook LGBTQ meme. I’d never heard about it, but apparently Netflix erroneously added the film to their LGBTQ category, and it thrust The Babadook into the gay icon stratosphere. One quote reads:

Whenever someone says the Babadook isn’t openly gay it’s like??? Did you even watch the movie?

Another:

It’s canon basically. I mean he created a pop-up book of himself for the drama of it all???

Check it out. It’s pretty funny. Not the movie, the meme. But the movie, too.