‘Abigail’ Review: A Bloody Good Horror Heist That Makes Vampires Fun (and Nasty) Again
Mary Beth McAndrews
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Vampires have suffered from an unfortunately bad reputation as of late. While my dedication to the blood-sucking undead has never waivered, the figure has had a shaky few years, especially with the lackluster releases of The Last Voyage Of The Demeter and Renfield in just 2023. But, there’s a glimmer of hope on the horizon with Radio Silence’s latest film Abigail, written by frequent collaborator Guy Busick with Stephen Shields. Directing duo Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin are back to their best with an original, gory story about a heist gone wrong and one nasty juvenile vampire in a tutu.
Abigail begins with a sweeping ballet sequence where the titular Abigail (Alisha Weir) is dancing the final act of Swan Lake to a massive, empty auditorium. Intercut are our other players, a ragtag group joining forces for a cool $50 million heist involving human cargo. All go under aliases to protect themselves in case they get caught. There’s Joey (Melissa Barrera), the sharp-eyed lone wolf; Frank (Dan Stevens), the skeezy leader; Peter (Kevin Durand) the simple and sweet hired muscle with a love of whiskey; Rickles (William Catlett), the trained gunman; Sammy (Kathryn Newton), the young hacker; and Dean (the late Angus Cloud), the stoner driver who can’t resist a prank.
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Together, they kidnap the young Abigail and only need to stay with her for 24 hours in a massive rural mansion before collecting their rewards. Simple enough, right? But as the group settles in for the night and everything gets quiet, the blood starts to fly. Abigail reveals herself to be a shark-toothed vampire with a love of eviscerating anyone in her path. The quarreling criminals must band together to survive the night and try to find a way to defeat the vampire ballerina twirling her way through the house’s halls.
And I mean it when I say she’s twirling. When Radio Silence said they were going to direct a vampire ballerina movie, they weren’t messing around. It’s not just a marketing gimmick, but something that’s integrated into Abigail’s own brand of violence. It’s the perfect campy flair to a film that’s constantly walking that line of comedy and straight-up horror. By having Weir’s Abigail so self-serious about her craft and the group’s seemingly effortless banter paired with waterfalls of blood, Radio Silence finds a way to make a heist comedy into something delightfully disgusting.
As soon as we get to the big reveal, Abigail hits the gas and doesn’t let up until the credits roll. The slower first act lets us integrate with the group and learn their quirks which are then quickly and easily exploited by the young vampire. The script is efficient but not so lean as to make these characters feel like simple parodies of figures we’ve seen in previous heist films. Obviously, Radio Silence knows the world they’re operating in and cleverly subverts expectations to craft another stellar ensemble the likes of Ready Or Not.
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It’s hard to pick a stand-out in the cast as everyone is truly chewing the scenery here. Stephens and Durand are hamming it up the most, with Stephens donning a strange New York-esque accent and Durand leaning into his French-Canadian roots to play a well-meaning Quebecois who just wants a friend. Their banter and quick wit slice through the tension like a small but sharp knife, injecting spikes of humor into the bloodbath.
Of course, Barrera shines at Joey, who lurks in the background, watching everyone’s every move. She’s smart but prickly, holding everyone at arm’s length to keep herself safe. And again she proves the power of a Final Girl figure who isn’t the typical skinny white girl in a frumpy cardigan or flare jeans. It’s incredible to watch Barrera shape horror history in these films as an indelible part of contemporary horror, and Abigail is only further proof of such a fact.
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Keep an eye out for the obvious yet phenomenal Phenomena/Poltergeist homages in perhaps the film’s most grotesque moment. Plus, we get a delightful nod to Bill Paxton’s legendary performance as Severin in Near Dark. Even the house itself feels like something out of a Resident Evil game as characters walk through ornate atriums and crawl between the walls. Abigail, while original in story, wears its influences on its sleeve, which is a treat for the eagle-eyed horror fans in the audience.
While much of the marketing betrays the first act reveal of Abigail’s true nature, Busick and Shields integrate plenty more twists and turns to keep the film fast-paced and interesting. Simply put, Abigail is a bloody good time that makes vampires fun and nasty again. It’s great to see that Radio Silence still has it even after being wrung through the Scream machine. A strong ensemble and razor-sharp script make this a major horror release worth celebrating. And don’t worry; heads will definitely roll.
Summary
Directing duo Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin are back to their best with an original, gory story about a heist gone wrong and one nasty juvenile vampire in a tutu.
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