10 Unexpectedly Intense Performances In Horror Movies
2. Essie Davis - The Babadook
The Babadook follows Amelia (Essie Davis), a single mother struggling to care for her disruptive son, Samuel (Noah Wiseman), since she's still dealing with the loss of her husband, Oskar. Sadly, Amilia's attempts to take control of her life are derailed when she finds herself being tormented by a sinister children's book called Mr. Babadook.
Essie Davis had her work cut out for her since she needs to portray a sympathetic and relatable protagonist who repeatedly and maliciously berates her troubled child. However, the Aussie actress pulls it off, showing that Amelia will do everything to protect Samuel, even while dealing with depression, fatigue, and crippling grief.
The premise may sound silly at first, but the scenes of Amelia reading Mr. Babadook are genuinely disturbing thanks to Davis' towering performance. Although the imagery is frightful, it's the way Davis conveys true terror while turning the pages that sells how dangerous this mysterious storybook is. The fact Essie Davis is able to convey the character's boundless dread in thbelow scene without saying anything highlights how gifted she is.