Abigail couldn’t come at a better time for both Radio Silence and star Melissa Barrera. Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, known together as Radio Silence, were previously riding the waves of success from Scream (2020) and Scream VI but were forced to step down from Scream 7 by the studio due to their commitment to get Abigail made at Universal. Paramount Pictures was eager to get another Scream movie in production as soon as possible, and these scheduling conflicts wouldn’t get in the way. Ironically, the proposed Scream VII has gone through many controversial changes in its production since Radio Silence left — the biggest being the unfair firing of Melissa Barrera for simply voicing her support of Palestine. Fast forward to now, and Abigail is all the proof you need to see that Radio Silence and Barrera are probably better off without the Scream franchise.
Written by Stephen Shields (The Hold in the Ground) and frequent Radio Silence collaborator Guy Busick (Ready or Not), Abigail is a modern reimagining of the Universal Classic Monsters film Dracula’s Daughter (1936). The premise is simple: a group of professional thieves kidnap the young daughter of a wealthy figure and hold her hostage for a $50 million ransom, but it turns out the small child is actually a bloodthirsty vampire. It’s a neat hook that will undoubtedly raise the brow of any horror fan. However, Radio Silence takes this fairly straightforward concept and goes full berserk. Not since Ready or Not has the directing duo felt this free, going all in on dark humor and taking the bloodshed to absurd levels that will have you laughing out loud with pure excitement. By all means, this is the kind of big-budget, studio horror that moviegoers are always dying for.
Our leading group of kidnappers is brought together by the mysterious Lambert (Giancarlo Esposito) for this hostage assignment. They are given fake names as exposing their real identities is one of the biggest rules not to break on this mission. We have Lambert’s second in command and the brains of the team, “Frank” (Dan Stevens). Next up is the ace sniper “Rickles” (William Catlett). Then we have the brolic “Peter” (Kevin Durand), who is the group’s muscle. The two young newbies and least professional in the gang are the techie “Sammy” (Kathryn Newton) and getaway driver “Dean” (Angus Cloud). Finally, we have “Joey” (Melissa Barrera), a seasoned crook whose job is to serve as the team’s liaison and caretaker to the hostage.
Joey is the only one who initially shows hesitation towards harming a child, which the others take as a sign of weakness. This doesn’t stop the group from successfully kidnapping the seemingly innocent Abigail (Alisha Weir) upon her arrival home from ballet practice. They rush her to an isolated mansion outside of New York City, where they must keep Abigail hostage for 24 hours. Lambert takes all of their phones to prevent the team from being traced, creating the first whiff of suspicion. It doesn’t take long for Abigail’s captors to realize that she’s not really a hostage; they are the ones actually locked in here with her. The tiny vampire ballerina has just gotten her next meal delivered, and oh does she love to play with her food.
The bloody chaos that ensues requires all the thieves to work together to survive, but that seems highly unlikely, with their huge egos and distrustful habits getting in the way at every turn. The lies and deceit within the group are what keep you hooked throughout Abigail. Even in the face of a literal vampire with rows of sharp teeth, which everyone has hilarious trouble believing at first, these criminals will still do whatever it takes to save their own skin. And when they are forced to help each other out, you still get the feeling that it’s anyone’s game. This unpredictable dynamic allows the cast ensemble to shine, with each of the core players getting their own moments in the spotlight to showcase just how cruel and perhaps even irredeemable their characters are. Suddenly, it becomes clear that Abigail isn’t the only monster trapped in this Victorian-era manor.
Abigail gives Kathryn Newton (Freaky, Lisa Frankenstein) another memorable role to add to her rising status as a “Scream Queen.” Radio Silence is definitely having a blast with her character, constantly putting “Sammy” in screwed-up situations where her reactions are worth the price of a movie ticket alone. Kevin Durand, though, almost steals the entire show. Durand’s career as a character actor speaks for itself. You have definitely seen his face pop up in some of your favorite films and shows across the years, and he’s also about to star as the main villain in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Abigail‘s script plays to his strengths (literally), with Durand taking the role of a dumb brute and making “Peter” somehow the most charming from the cast while still being totally despicable. It’s Newton and Durand who get the best gags out of the screenplay’s black comedy.
The late Angus Cloud (Euphoria, You’re Lucky Day) deserves a well-deserved mention from the supporting cast as well. Cloud completed his work on Abigail right before his untimely passing in 2023, and while his screen time may be on the shorter side here, his bright presence is savored and leads to some good laughs. The rest of the film truly belongs to Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens (who just starred in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire), and Alisha Weir (Matilda the Musical). The three are obviously the smartest in this twisted game of cat and mouse, and the ways in which they keep outwitting each other as predator and prey leads to some diabolical fun. The specific back and forth between Barrera and Weir brings out the best in both actors, giving Barrera another unlikely “Final Girl” to root for and Weir a real star-making moment as the delivish Abigail.
Although this is loosely based on an older Universal film, the overbearing weight of IP is absent in Abigail. Following their work on Scream, you can tell directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett were ready to just go balls to the wall on a fresh horror story with no strings attached. The only downside is that for most of the second act, the script feels as if it’s almost throwing too many ideas at said wall. More and more of the characters’ secrets are revealed as the plot progresses, but after so many twists and turns you wish there was a stronger focus on the handful of surprises that work best instead of squeezing as much as possible before the credits roll. Especially when the movie just comes across as characters running around in circles with no clear endgame in sight.
The character who benefits the most from these frequent plot twists is “Frank,” which gives Dan Stevens the chance to chew up the scenery in a cool New York accent. By the third act, Stevens is going for broke and establishes himself as Abigail‘s surprise MVP. This alone makes the nonsensical plotting that came before very much worth it. Abigail is a horror movie where a tiny vampire in a pink tutu does ballet as she chases hopeless victims who are twice her size. Not everyone will vibe with this kind of silliness, but the last laugh you get as this story comes to a close is ever so priceless. Abigail knows exactly what it wants to be and how to achieve it, you’re either riding on its wavelength or not. To say the least, this type of sheer confidence is what the modern horror genre often lacks.
Radio Silence filmmakers Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett inject this vampire tale with a wicked taste for the macabre. Through all the exploding limbs and blood bombs, though, Melissa Barrera reminds us that she isn’t going anywhere with another standout performance. Her next horror film, Your Monster, couldn’t come sooner. Meanwhile, Alisah Weir proves that she’s only getting started. If you’ve been longing for a vampire movie on the more unhinged side, then this is for you!
Abigail releases in theaters on April 19!
Release Date: April 19, 2024.
Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett.
Written by Stephen Shields & Guy Busick.
Produced by William Sherak, James Vanderbilt, Paul Neinstein, Tripp Vinson & Chad Villella.
Main Cast: Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens, Kathryn Newton, Will Catlett Kevin Durand, Angus Cloud, Alisha Weir, Giancarlo Esposito, & Matthew Goode.
Cinematographer: Aaron Morton.
Composer: Brian Tyler.
Production Companies: Project X Entertainment, Vinson Films, & Radio Silence Productions.
Distributor: Universal Pictures.
Runtime: 109 minutes.
Rated R.