10 Most Exhausted Horror Movie Protagonists

In a film that has been hailed for its depiction of individual struggles with both depression and grief, The Babadook introduces its audience to Amelia, a mother who is attempting to navigate the aftermath of her husband's death that has left her having to bring up her young son as a widow.

The tenacity of the negative emotions Amelia experiences means that it is very difficult to separate her from the illusive Mr Babadook who acts as the film's main antagonist. After several interactions with the Babadook, the audience is encouraged to believe that Amelia and this creature are inextricably linked, and this encouragement leans into full blown coercion when she is finally physically possessed by the Babadook.

Even the fact that Amelia has been trying her hardest to evade and push aside the presence of this creature in her and her son's life is testament to just how exhausted she is simply just by the time she is possessed. Amelia is one tired woman by the time the credits roll, and the emotionally draining rollercoaster that we endure with her only further allows us to empathise with her.