Abigail – Movie Review (3/5)

ABIGAIL is a new vampire horror movie that packs a real punch. Sure, it’s a bit predictable, but also wildly entertaining. The characters are almost horror-comedy stereotypical, yet it suits the simple plot. Read our Abigail movie review here!

ABIGAIL is a new horror movie out in theaters, and you are in for one wild vampire horror flick. I think we all know vampire movies tend to be “hit or miss” experiences. However, I think most people will be entertained by this movie.

Well, if you surrender to the premise. After all, vampire stories aren’t meant to be too serious or compared to any real-life possibilities. Just think of the wonderful Renfield (2023), which came out in theaters last year.

With vampires, there is almost a built-in kitsch factor perfect for a genre hybrid. A horror heart, but with thriller, action, mystery, drama, and even comedy here and there. In this film, there is a bit of everything, but mostly horror, dark humor, and wild (bloody) action.

Continue reading our Abigail movie review below. Find it in theaters from April 19, 2024.

Children can be such monsters!

Although it is not revealed from the very beginning, we as the audience know very well that the title character is a vampire. It’s both the plot itself and a big part of any trailer. Even the subtitle for Abigail is “Children can be such monsters”.

And in Abigail’s case, this is very literal.

We meet a group of criminals who don’t know each other but are hired by someone they all trust. So far, so good. They “just” have to kidnap and then babysit a 12-year-old girl. Just a short 24-hour stint and then they can share a whopping $50 million ransom.

But, as is so often the case, something that sounds too good to be true is rarely without severe challenges. The little girl they hold captive ends up having the wildest party with her kidnappers. Can the kidnappers stick together and fight back? Or will they just be “picked off and drained” one by one?

Great cast full of familiar faces

First of all, I have to say that young Alisha Weir is absolutely phenomenal as Abigail. She is by no means a normal little girl. Especially not when we’re talking age, so there are some actions and lines from the little girl that make one either smile and giggle or “clutching one’s pearls” in surprise.

It is crucial to the film’s premise that the title character works, and it certainly does via Alisha Weir.

She previously played the title role in the 2022 film Matilda: The Musical and she actually made her feature film debut in the horror film Don’t Leave Home in 2018. She could very well be a future “Final Girl”, that we get to see in horror films already.

And speaking of the final girl character, the main lead role (besides the title role) is played by Melissa Barrera from the new Scream movies. I think Melissa Barrera has been wonderful in everything she has done. So even though there isn’t terribly much to work with here, she plays the character with the most depth and background.

In addition, the newer Scream Queen Kathryn Newton from the horror comedies Freaky and most recently Lisa Frankenstein also stars. She has previously starred in non-comedy horror films such as Paranormal Activity 4 (2012).

The rest of the cast, which is not overwhelmingly large since we are mostly in the same big house, also consists of familiar faces. We get Dan Stevens (Apostle) and Kevin Durand (Swamp Thing, The Strain) in the lead, while also William Catlett (Constellation, Lovecraft Country) and Angus Cloud (Euphoria) play the kidnappers.

Last, but not least, we also see Giancarlo Esposito (The Gentlemen and the upcoming MaXXXine) and Matthew Goode (Silent Night, Stoker) in minor key roles that will not be spoiled here.

Watch Abigail in theaters!

Abigail is directed by Radio Silence, which means the directing duo Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. They were also behind horror films such as Ready or Not (2019), Scream (2022), and most recently Scream VI (2023).

Clearly, they are a couple of directors who love the genre and want to focus on solid entertainment and wild sequences!

The screenplay is written by Stephen Shields (The Hole in the Ground, Hunted) and Guy Busick (the Scream franchise, Castle Rock season 2 and Ready or Not). Guy Busick is also one of the writers behind the upcoming Final Destination: Bloodlines, which revives that franchise – just like he did with Scream – and is expected to come out in 2025.

With all these familiar horror folks both in front of and behind the camera, one can only imagine they had a party making Abigail. And it has also become an entertaining, wildly bloody, and violent vampire film.

Is there anything new or crazy surprising? No, not really.

But is it even a requirement for fun entertainment? Not at all.

Watch it and enjoy the craziness. There are some wild scenes along the way. Not least when we have to find out which vampire rules apply in this movie. Our characters are, of course, familiar with everything from Buffy to Twilight, but that “knowledge” is only theory until they test it in practice.

On a more serious note, this was one of the last films for the actor Angus Cloud, and therefore the movie also ends with a dedication to him.

Abigail is out in US theaters on April 19, 2024.

Details

Directors: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
Writers: Stephen Shields, Guy Busick
Cast: Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens, Alisha Weir, Kathryn Newton, William Catlett, Kevin Durand, Angus Cloud and Giancarlo Esposito