The Babadook
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Where to watch: Streaming on Shudder · Tubi · Mubi (US, subject to change)
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How it scared people
The vibe
A pop-up book about a top-hatted visitor arrives in a grieving household, and Jennifer Kent makes the monster inseparable from a mother's exhausted rage. As psychologically rich as horror gets — you can't destroy the Babadook, only house it.
The Babadook (2014) Parents Guide
| MPA rating | No MPAA certificate (released outside the US system) |
|---|---|
| Runtime | 94 minutes |
| Jump scares | 3/5 — moderately scary, with a handful of strong sequences |
| Gore | 1/5 — almost no gore |
| Dread | 5/5 — the kind of film that follows you around for days |
| Themes | psychological distress; death and grief, often within a family |
The Babadook carries no MPAA certificate. We score it 3/5 for jump scares, 1/5 for gore and 5/5 for lingering dread, over 94 minutes. Very little blood — the hard part here is atmosphere and aftermath, not graphic content. Older teens and adults — less for what it shows than for how long it stays with you.
We rate what the film does — scares, gore, dread — not scene-level content like language or nudity, which we don't track.
Before you press play
- How scary is The Babadook?
- On our intensity scale, The Babadook rates 6/10 for jump scares and 10/10 for dread. It is moderately scary, with a handful of strong sequences. Expect little in the way of jump scares, but a sense of dread that builds steadily and lingers after the credits.
- How gory is The Babadook?
- The Babadook rates 2/10 for gore — expect almost no gore.
- How long is The Babadook?
- The Babadook runs 94 minutes (1h 34m).
- What is The Babadook rated?
- The Babadook has no MPAA certificate — common for films released outside the US. On our scale it rates 6/10 for jump scares, 2/10 for gore and 10/10 for dread.
- Where to watch The Babadook (2014)?
- As of our last update, The Babadook is streaming on Shudder and Tubi and Mubi in the US (checked 2026-09-14). Availability changes, so check your service before settling in.
