Abigail (2024) spoiler free review
Children can be such monsters. Abigail is a 2024 American horror comedy film directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, produced by Radio Silence Productions, and written by Stephen Shields and Guy Busick. The film had its world premiere on April 7, 2024 at the Overlook Film Festival, and was theatrically released in the United States on April 19, 2024 by Universal Pictures.
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.
Film synopsis
The cast includes Melissa Barrera as Joey, Dan Stevens as Frank, Alisha Weir as Abigail, Will Catlett as Rickles, Kathryn Newton as Sammy, Kevin Durand as Peter, Angus Cloud as Dean, Giancarlo Esposito as Lambert, and Matthew Goode as Abigail’s father.
My opinion
A group of kidnappers have being hired to capture the daughter of a powerful underworld figure of New York City and demand $50 million for her release. Unaware that the girl is a vampire and her father’s identity, the group goes into hiding on a secluded mansion upstate. But when one of the kidnappers discovers who the girl’s father is, he tries to flee, activating the house’s security system in the process. With no escape, the girl shows her true nature forcing the group to hide and discover how to survive until dawn.
Each day it becomes more frequent the attempts to bring back the Universal Classic Monsters to the big screen. With some attempts more successful than others, Abigail joins the list accompanied by blood, humor and lots of action. Although it stumbles in the narrative, the film offers us 109 minutes of entertainment backed by a strong cast. Having a similar approach like Ready or Not (2019), also by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, Abigail starts as a serious movie that switches to become a enjoyable horror comedy.
The gore and bloody moments didn’t disappoint just like the humor and jokes. Th cast, lead by Barrera, not only do they work perfectly, they also convey how much they enjoyed playing these characters. In the end Abigail is an effective and fun modern take of Dracula’s daughter, the 1936 film upon which it is based. While it can be predictable by moments it doesn’t take away the fun and enjoyment.