The 2014 horror movie The Babadook is just as terrifying as it is heartbreaking and follows Amelia Vanek (Essie Davis) as she raises her son Samuel (Noah Wiseman) while grieving the death of his father and her husband. When Amelia begins reading Sam a story called Mister Babadook, they are shocked when the monster comes to life.
Known for being as beautiful and moving as it is scary, The Babadook has a smart, satisfying ending that does exactly what it should: wraps up the story of Amelia and Sam and shares what happens to the monster, who is one of the most unnerving creatures in any horror movie.
What Happens At the End of The Babadook?
The Babadook ending plays into the movie's themes of loss, with The Babadook monster showing Amelia a vision of her late husband Oskar. The monster takes her over and Amelia tries to murder Sam. When Sam touches her face, which proves how much he cares about her, this positive moment makes her throw up black, and the monster is gone. Amelia protects herself and her son by locking The Babadook in the basement of their home.
One of the best horror movies of the 2010s, The Babadook has a satisfying ending that works with the tone of the movie. Instead of relying on cheap jump scares or big twists, the movie has a slower tone that manages to be much creepier. It feels like the monster will appear at any moment, and Amelia and Sam are unsure how they're ever going to escape him. The final scenes fit this tone, with the mother and son finding a way to deal with the monster in their home and then celebrating Sam's birthday.
Since The Badadook is a horror movie about being a mother, the ending speaks to how being a parent means always wanting to keep a child safe and always looking out for them. It's fair to say that the story wouldn't work so well if Amelia didn't have a child, as it wouldn't be as meaningful to watch her solely fight for her own survival. It's moving to see her do what she can to help Sam have a good life, despite the bad hand that they have been dealt and the pain that they have been dealing with.
The movie's director, Jennifer Kent, told The Guardian in an interview that the response to the movie was positive because she has shared a story of a mother who has had a hard time. She said, "I’ve experienced a collective sigh of relief that women are seeing a mother up there that’s human. Sure, it’s an extreme situation but what I realise is that a lot of women have felt those feelings that Amelia goes through at some point along the way."
Throughout The Babadook, Amelia struggles with whether she is a good parent and whether she can really handle raising her child on her own. The ending works so well because it's clear that she has gone through a journey and knows that she can do it. Amelia and Sam have a clear bond, which is sweet to watch and which helps the movie stand apart from other horror films.
Is The Babadook Still Alive at the End?
The Babadook monster is still alive at the end of the horror movie. This proves Sam's realization that it's not possible to kill him. While it might seem like Amelia and Sam fail to kill him and rid themselves of him forever, it's more compelling that he is still here. However, the movie makes it clear that Amelia is no longer haunted by the monster, as she feeds him but is able to go back to her regular, happy life.
Just like The Night House is a great movie about grief and loss, The Babadook discusses how hard it is for a parent to move on when every day is a harsh reminder of what they have lost and how much they wish that their partner was still here, both for their sake and for their child's. The movie's final scene suggests that the monster will always be around, but Amelia will learn how to deal with it and still live the life that she wants to live.
The Babdook monster represents grief itself, which is a clever and moving metaphor. It would be unrealistic for Amelia and Sam to forget about their husband/father and act like they never want to think about him again. It makes sense that they will always remember him, and the monster in the basement is a reminder of what happened.
While there are powerful horror movies about mothers and daughters, The Babadook tells a smart story of a mother's love for her son and how they learn to connect again after a huge loss. Amelia and Sam realize that they can conquer their fear of the monster in their house and that they can look forward to happier times, all while remembering the hardship that they have faced.