Abigail Review: Hilariously Bloody, Horrifically Fun

Well-made, fun horror is always a treat, and that’s what you’re in for with Abigail. Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (Scream VI, Ready or Not), Abigail follows a group of criminals who kidnap a little girl to extort her father out of millions of dollars. The horror movie stars Melissa Barrera (Scream VI), Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey), Kathryn Newton (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania), Giancarlo Esposito (Better Call Saul), Kevin Durand (Robin Hood), Angus Cloud (Euphoria), William Catlett (Constellation), with Alisha Weir (Matilda: The Musical) as Abigail. 

Abigail’s subgenre tweaks itself with every passing act, starting as a locked-room mystery, and working its way through supernatural horror, with some extremely bloody visuals mixed throughout. The six main kidnappers don’t know each other in the beginning, so there’s a mysterious element to the story in the first act, as they get picked off one by one with seemingly nobody else in the house with them. You’re never quite sure who to trust because the film is structured so that you never get too long to think about a twist before another is thrown at you while also maintaining an excellent pace. 

Abigail, Are You In There?

The film’s main twist appears in the trailer – which you can watch above – and it would be odd to talk about the story without addressing it. Thankfully, there are other twists and interesting plot developments that keep the story going. So, if you don’t want to know the main twist of Abigail, turn back now because it will be discussed. Soon after the gang takes Abigail, they get attacked. They try to get some information from her to see who could be doing it when she reveals that she isn’t a helpless little girl, instead she’s a centuries-old vampire.

That is one of Abigail’s four twists, and it elevates the levels of action, horror, and more importantly, humor. Watching a little girl obliterate people is hilarious. Sure, it’s a horror movie, but it commits to being 109 minutes of a fun time. The characters are great, with some playing against type, all with separate motivations, making them predictable. Joey (Barrera) has a child, so she needs to make sure she survives. Frank (Stevens) is a jerk, an ex-cop. Lambert (Esposito) is mysterious enough that it might clue you into one of the twists, and Peter (Durand) is the dumbest horror movie character ever. 

Both Peter and Dean (Cloud) are extremely funny, with Durand and Cloud giving fantastic comedic performances. Durand nails the delivery of so many funny lines that his goofball character might be my favorite comedic one of the year so far. Barrera plays Joey as earnest and compassionate, and she comes across as confident while trying to save herself. You’ll love to hate Stevens’ Frank and root for Newton’s naive Sammy. Catlett’s Rickles is your classic tough guy, but I wish he was given more to do.

She Wants To Suck Your Blood

The best performance of the movie goes to Weir as Abigail. Her innocent sweet girl isn’t played up, and she feels natural as she tries to get into Joey’s head by getting to know her and her son. It makes her sinister turn all the more interesting, especially as she played the character as an older entity that was still childlike. She practices her ballet throughout the movie – usually while covered in blood – and it’s an eerie juxtaposition that is unsettling and funny at the same time. 

The ancient house the group has brought her to is a great setting. You’re never quite sure how big it is or how many rooms it has. It’s somewhat reminiscent of the Spencer Mansion from Resident Evil or Wickles Manor from Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. It’s old and spooky, but there’s an element of unpredictability to it as well. Speaking of spooky, while Abigail practices her ballet, the music echoes throughout the mansion. Brian Tyler’s score is also slow and creepy, with the score and setting uniting to create a great horrific atmosphere.

The dialogue is probably the worst part of the movie, with some exposition and world-building coming out unnaturally, but it’s by no measure bad. In most of the scenes, I just felt like I was waiting for one of the funnier characters to say something. And yet, the plot seems well thought out. There aren’t too many twists but there are enough that you should be surprised. Some more specific surprises feel like they come out of nowhere too, keeping you on the edge of your seat. One that I won’t spoil here is sold purely off visuals, and Newton’s performance, and it’s spectacular. 

It’s a Party and You’re All Invited

There seems to be a recent trend where horror movies rely on shrouding things in darkness, and that couldn’t be less true with Abigail. The explosions of blood are reminiscent of the director’s prior work Ready or Not, and the mansion is very well-lit. The practical effects, the set design, and the costume design all come together to create some great visuals, usually to make scenes a little spookier than they would have been otherwise. 

Abigail’s greatest success is that it turns a great premise into an insanely enjoyable bloodbath, one that is surprising and fun the entire way through. While it’s let down by some quick decisions and rough dialogue, it’s a flick that any horror fan should go to the theaters for. You can catch Abigail in theaters from April 19, 2024.