“Abigail,” by directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett of Radio Silence, follows an ensemble of criminals after they kidnap a rich ballerina who happens to be the daughter of a very powerful man. After the successful heist, the crew learns that the daughter may be related to something much worse than a powerful person: a vampire.
The script’s concept proves genius. Combining elements of classic vampire films with themes of a heist film, it also utilizes classical music and ballet to build up the ballerina’s character. Radio Silence also does an excellent job making the horror and stakes of the script pop in the visual style through the usage of tiny enclosed rooms within the mansion and separating the ensemble cast throughout their entire runtime.
Speaking of the ensemble cast, “Abigail” contains a stacked cast with actors Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens, Kathryn Newton, Angus Cloud and Alisha Weir. While each performance is impressive and entertaining, Barrera’s and Weir’s standout. Given Spyglass’s decision to fire Barrera, it’s nice to see her get roles considering her talent and charm, which makes her one of the best scream queens in modern horror. She’s also very good at switching between comedic acting and showcasing heart through her tenderness towards Weir’s character. Weir’s performance as the petrified child version of Abigail makes for a great antithesis to her demonic vampire character later on in the film.
The action and violence in “Abigail” set the stakes high, as any character can be killed at any point. The power of Abigail in her vampiric form showcases in moments where she fights off the criminals, such as when she drives a stake through one of the character’s legs. As previously stated, the rooms of the mansion assist in the fight choreography as everything feels much more intimate. The gore itself looks remarkable with one standout moment being the decapitation of one of the criminals early on in the film.
Radio Silence is known for comedic horror as evidenced by “Ready or Not” and their two “Scream” entries. They continue this trend by guiding their actors to deliver lines with straight faces even in the most insane of situations, crafting solid ironic moments that are accompanied by great slapstick humor.
Radio Silence’s “Abigail” shows how the duo continues as one of the best horror directors in the space, as their dedication to originality blends with their witty humor and love for even the cheesiest elements of the horror genre. Audiences will love “Abigail” due to its great gore, funny performances and themes that call for a second watch. Given that there aren’t many vampire heist films out there, “Abigail” stands as a truly original idea in a sea of intellectual property-reliant horror sequels.
4 kidnapped vampire ballerinas out of 5
