Abigail (2024)
A different kind of vampire story
Abigail is the latest film from the directing duo Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin of the production company Radio Silence. They previously helmed Ready or Not and the two most recent Scream movies. Radio Silence is known for creating gory, humorous horror films with dark themes. Abigail continues this trend.
The film follows a group of criminals who kidnap a young ballerina and hold her for ransom. Joey (Melissa Barrera) is tasked with building a rapport with the terrified young girl. Joey comforts Abigail, promising that she won’t be harmed. She is racked with guilt about the kidnapping, but is also motivated by the potential financial windfall that the ransom could provide.
The script attempts to humanize Joey by emphasizing her love for her young son, whom she is separated from. The “criminal who we’re supposed to empathize with because they love their kid” trope has been done numerous times – Don’t Breathe, Ant-Man, Swordfish, etc.
I wish the filmmakers had found a more original way to make us sympathize with Joey. Still, Barrera’s performance is effective enough that it’s easy to root for her, even if the film never quite convinces us that Joey is a likeable person.
Joey doesn’t realize that she and the other kidnappers are being manipulated. Abigail is feigning terror. She’s not a scared little girl. In fact, she’s not a little girl at all. Abigail is a centuries-old vampire who is planning to have the kidnappers for dinner.
Abigail’s true nature won’t come as a surprise to most viewers. This twist was prominently featured in the trailer and other promotional materials. But her identity is just the first of numerous surprises that this movie has in store. By the climax, the story has been turned completely upside down. Unlikely alliances form as carnage and mayhem abound.
Alisha Weir Steals the Show
Abigail has an experienced cast. Along with Barrera (Scream 5 and 6), it has Kathryn Newton (Freaky, Lisa Frankenstein), Dan Stevens (Donton Abbey), Kevin Durand (Smokin’ Aces) and Giancarla Esposito (Breaking Bad). It also sadly features the last performance by Angus Cloud (Euphoria) before his death.
It’s fun seeing two lovely scream queens share the screen for the first time. Melissa Barrera and Kathryn Newton have never before been in a movie together. Their interactions are hilarious. I wish they had more screen time together.
Joey: You’re really good at pretending to be a little girl.
Abigail: Thank you. I’ve had a few centuries of experience.
But the true star of Abigail is Alisha Weir, who plays the title character. The 14-year-old excels at portraying a jaded vampire with a sardonic sense of humor. It’s rare for a character to be a villain, heroine, and anti-hero in the same movie, and even rarer for a child actress to be able to pull off such a character convincingly. This is the best performance I’ve seen from a child actress since Dafne Keen in Logan (2017).
Abigail is a murderous monster with sociopathic tendencies, but she retains traces of humanity. She’s a fascinating character that would be fun to see in more movies. Maybe a prequel could explore her backstory.
Gateway Horror?
In this interview with Refinery 29, Barrera described Abigail as “a perfect gateway movie to the horror genre.” The same could be said for all of Radio Silence’s movies, at least if we’re talking about R-rated horror.
Genre novices who aren’t sure about their gore threshold may want to tip their toes in the water with a PG-13 movie (or even PG-rated shenanigans like The Nightmare Before Christmas) before experiencing an R-rated gore extravaganza.
Abigail is a great choice for viewers who are comfortable with plenty of gore, but want to be spared from anything overly extreme.
Rating
Abigail separates itself from other vampire flicks by finding a fresh new angle to seek its teeth into. Radio Silence’s direction, a clever script, and the stellar cast make it one of the best horror movies of 2024 so far.
Rating (from 1 (avoid at all costs) to 10 (masterpiece): 8
