PopHorror Let's Get Scared
From Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, the duo behind Ready or Not, Scream (2022) and Scream VI (2023) comes a new vampire film with a twist: Abigail (Psst… Not to be confused with this film). We were all huge fans of Ready Or Not (read our review here), myself included, so it was a given I was going to check this out as soon as I got the chance. No early home screening for this guy, unfortunately. I headed out to the theater on Sunday for the full, big screen, plus Dolby Atmos experience.
Did it live up to my lofty expectations? Read on to find out!
Synopsis
After a group of would-be criminals kidnap the 12-year-old ballerina daughter of a powerful underworld figure, all they have to do to collect a $50 million ransom is watch the girl overnight. In an isolated mansion, the captors start to dwindle, one by one, and they discover, to their mounting horror, that they’re locked inside with no normal little girl.
Stephen Shields (The Hole in the Ground, Zombie Bashers) and Guy Busick (Scream franchise, Ready or Not) wrote the film. It stars Melissa Barrera (Scream, Scream VI), Dan Stevens (The Guest), Kathryn Newton (Freaky), William Catlett (True Story), Kevin Durand (Resident Evil: Retribution), and Angus Cloud (Euphoria) as the kidnappers and Alisha Weir (Darklands) as Abigail.
Here’s a look at the poster art!
The Setup
The film opens with young Abigail (Alisha Weir) performing ballet alone in an opulent theater. As she arrives home after practice, she finds herself the victim of a good old fashioned kidnapping. The audience is introduced to a colorful cast of shady, yet likable characters as they apprehend the young girl. The crew comes complete with a wheel man, muscle, hacker, spotter, and more, each with each with a role to play in the caper. In no time the crew is on their way to a remote location to meet their handler (Giancarlo Esposito) and await a hefty ransom.
As the crew settles in for the night, they soon find themselves trapped in a run down mansion, with no means of escape and no communication with the outside world. Tensions run high and the mistrust runs deep as this pack of rats must navigate a deadly maze with one eye on each other and one eye on the shadows. The hunters become the hunted when Abigail reveals herself to be a bloodhirsty creature, and not just a frightened girl.
What Works
The first thing that stands out in Abigail is the cast. Alisha Weir is perfect in the title role, shifting effortlessly from vulnerable victim to sadistic monster. Child actors can make or break your film, and Weir’s performance here is a giant mark in the “Win” column. Melissa Barerra and Dan Stevens are front and center and both deliver fabulous, nuanced performances. Stevens in particular seems to immerse himself in the role, delivering a wildly entertaining portrayal of “Frank” with particular relish. The other “rat pack” crew members are similarly entertaining. Kevin Durand, in particular, stands out as “Peter” and might be my favorite character in the film.
The atmosphere is fun. The run down mansion has a Resident Evil feel to it that conveys appropriate levels of dread. The tension is palpable, both from the character conflicts, and from the imminent dread of the entire situation. You feel like you’re trapped in this house with these characters and that immersion really adds to the enjoyment. Oh, and if you enjoyed the splatter-filled gore FX in Ready Or Not, the similar spray found in Abigail will no doubt bring a smile to your face.
What Doesn’t Work
For the most part, the characters are smart and make good decisions, but every once in a while you may find yourself saying “Oy.” There’s nothing quite on par with, say, throwing the map away in The Blair Witch Project, but you will likely find yourself having a (forgivable) mini-facepalm or two along the way.
The film meanders a bit toward the end. I can’t really go into too much detail without venturing into spoiler territory, but you’ll see what I mean. I feel like the final act could have used a bit of streamlining and an edit of about ten minutes. And at the risk of sounding like Randy from Scream, the “rules” set forth in the film aren’t always followed 100%. It’s minor, but noticeable. I won’t spoil it, but again, I think you’ll see what I mean. Hey, it’s a movie.
Final Thoughts
Abigail (2024) is a blood-soaked good time. It’s a fun monster story with solid production design and a foreboding atmosphere. Audiences will enjoy the cast of colorful, likable characters, headlined by Dan Stevens and Melissa Barerra, with solid supporting performances from Kevin Durand and Giancarlo Esposito. Gore hounds will love the splatter factor and the tension might have you peeking at the screen through laced fingers.
Abigail released in theaters on April 19, 2024, from Universal Pictures. Check it out on the big screen and support some original, theatrical horror!
Oh, and about that gore…
