THE STORY – A group of would-be criminals kidnaps the 12-year-old daughter of a powerful underworld figure. Holding her for ransom in an isolated mansion, their plan starts to unravel when they discover their young captive is actually a bloodthirsty vampire.
THE CAST – Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens, Alisha Weir, Kathryn Newton, William Catlett, Kevin Durand, Angus Cloud & Giancarlo Esposito
THE TEAM – Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett (Directors), Stephen Shields & Guy Busick (Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 109 Minutes
Radio Silence – the production company that directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett call home – has been on an unbroken hot streak. After crafting well-received segments of the anthology horror films “V/H/S” and “Southbound,” their thriller-comedy “Ready or Not” was a hit from every angle. They’ve since helmed the “Scream” and “Scream VI” reboots to additional acclaim. And now, they’re back with “Abigail,” an original horror film centering around the titular vampire ballerina. And while Abigail herself is an instantly iconic horror creation, the movie she anchors isn’t nearly as clever and cunning as it so clearly wants to be.
Abigail (Alisha Weir) is a young girl taken hostage by a gang of low-level criminals employed by the mysterious Lambert (Giancarlo Esposito), who promises them a hefty payout once Abigail’s wealthy father pays the ransom. Among the six wrongdoers (all given codenames corresponding to members of the Rat Pack) is Joey (Melissa Barrera), a young mother hoping to be reunited with her son. Joey is tasked with being the only person who can interact with Abigail once they reach the safe house. But when members of the crew start getting picked off in gruesome ways, it becomes clear that Abigail might not be the docile child they assumed her to be.
When discussing this movie, the conversation must begin and end with Abigail. It’s always thrilling to watch the birth of a brand-new horror character who’s clearly going to be remembered and imitated for a long time – it’s easy to imagine plenty of fans donning her blood-stained white tutu come Halloween season. She’s heartbreakingly sympathetic when she needs to be and hilariously sassy and in control when she wants to be. And Weir is phenomenally equipped to bring her to life. The young actress is talented beyond her years (anyone who saw her turn as the lead in the fantastic “Matilda the Musical” is already aware of this), and with “Abigail,” she’s given an incredible showcase for her apparently vast arsenal of abilities. She’s a fantastic dancer and smartly directed to provide a physical performance that’s both graceful and horrifying, sometimes simultaneously. The Irish actress even nails her American accent. Abigail is a ferocious, powerful character, and Weir is perfect for the role.
She’s so compelling that the film notably suffers when she’s not onscreen. Abigail is given more to do as the film goes on, but the movie takes its time getting to anything exciting involving her character. It waits nearly an hour before revealing that Abigail is a vampire – a plot point that practically everyone in the audience will undoubtedly already be aware of. Everything leading up to this supernatural discovery is poorly paced and unnecessarily stretched out. Once Abigail makes her bloody entrance and turns the tables on her captors, the film takes on a welcome zany energy. Although the movie seems to think it’s more consistently fun than it actually is. Characters even repeatedly mention how much fun they wish to have, how much fun they’re about to have, and how much fun they’re having as if to try and convince the audience that they, too, are having, you guessed it, fun. And yes, the film is fun, but only when Abigail is present.
As the criminal but sympathetic Joey, Barrera turns in another riveting lead performance. Fans of hers won’t be disappointed, and as always, it’s easy to root for her and hope for a happy ending for a character. Dan Stevens plays Frank, the de facto leader of the group. He gives a delicious, devilish performance, fully committing to the more insane things he’s asked to do later in the film. The late Angus Cloud has a small but memorable role as Dean, the burnout getaway driver. He believably mumbles his way through the film, giving the film a comically grounded energy whenever he speaks.
“Abigail” will satiate those who’ve enjoyed the trademark black comedy-horror movies Radio Silence has become known for. However, this isn’t nearly as entertaining or schlocky as some of their past offerings. There’s plenty of explosive gore to satisfy bloodthirsty audiences, but the best thing about the film is, perhaps unsurprisingly, Abigail herself. She twirls through the movie with enough gleeful vengeance and hysterically violent antics to distract from the film’s deadly pacing issues and structural shortcomings.
