When Radio Silence (directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett) take on their genre mashup, they do so with full force. Their latest creation, “Abigail,” is a fresh take on the 1936 Universal Classic Monsters film “Dracula’s Daughter.” This unique blend of genres results in an explosive, high-octane action movie that is both a bloody laugh riot and genuinely terrifying.
Being trapped inside a mansion with an underestimated character is an ongoing theme for Radio Silence. “Ready or Not” followed a similar pattern when Samara Weaving had to escape when a group of murderous rich folks was hunting her for their entertainment. But for Abigail, the tables have turned—so to speak.
In the film, seven kidnappers capture a young ballerina named Abigail. The plan is simple: take the girl to a Victorian-like mansion hidden in a remote location and hold her for a $50 million ransom. Once they arrive, they meet Lambert (Giancarlo Esposito), their sponsor, who informs them that they will hold Abigail for 24 hours. However, he doesn’t want the group to contact the outside or reveal their real names or backstories, as they could be used against them should they be arrested. So he asks for their cellphones and gives them names based on the rat pack: Frank (Dan Stevens) is the leader, Sammy (Katherine Newton) is the hacker, Rickles (William Catlett) is the military sniper, Peter (Kevin Durand) is the muscle man, Dean (Angus Cloud) is the wheelman, and Joey (Melissa Barrera) is the medic with a tragic backstory. While they don’t know each other, they’ll find out they got more than they bargained for when they realize that they are trapped inside with no ordinary little girl but a vampire child who hunts them down one by one.
One doesn’t need to know who or what Abigail is based on because the film doesn’t hide what it is and has fun mashing various genres into one meta-action horror comedy. While it adheres to a “you’re next” and “final girl” formula, it bends it in an entertaining way. So even though we know who the characters are, what sort of traps they fall into, how they’ll die, and ultimately how the film plays out, there are plenty of twists and turns to keep us guessing.
Since “Abigail” sets up the players, the time frame, and the stakes all within a few minutes, the audience has as much information as the kidnappers. They don’t know who they can trust. Although, it’s clear that it wants us to side with Joey, whose skill to read people helps us understand the other misfit compatriots. With just a simple profile read, we come to find out that Frank is a dirty cop, Sammy is a spoiled hacker who’s in the job for kicks, Peter is the typical brawn with no brains, Dean is the wheelman who has no clue, and Abigail is the innocent ballerina who is much more than she seems. Though the rat pack is impressed with Joey’s skills, Frank finds out that Joey is a former junkie who is trying to kick the habit so that she can get back to her son. It’s a tragic story that draws no sympathy from the kidnappers. Still, it does help build a connection with the audience, as Joey’s intentions are genuine. Ultimately, everyone in the room is there for selfish reasons. A 7 million dollar payout would entice anyone.
So, as the group drinks and flirts the night away, Joey’s maternal instincts kick in. She checks in on her Abigail to make sure everything is alright. Eventually, the two forge a bond, one that fills the void Joey has since she’s a mom on the run. Eventually, the two bond, with Joey making a sacred pinkie promise that the rest of the rat pack won’t hurt her. The film reveals itself to be more about parent and child than being trapped with a vampire. Though that kind of assurance would comfort a child, Abigail apologizes to Joey for what is about to happen.
From there, it becomes a night-long game of survival and trust. The kidnappers are slowly being picked off one by one in some sort of gruesome manner. These mysterious deaths, plus Abigail’s mind games, are enough to push the surviving rat pack over the edge. They start accusing each other of being the crime lord who lured them into the mansion so that they can pick them off. The foreshadowing and later exposition help map out where the film is heading and which character will meet their fate.
What makes something like “Abigail” all the more fun to watch is how it leans into the comedy organically. All the actors play their respective characters with such commitment, making it easier to believe they jump back and forth between the different genres. Durand’s Peter is such a muscle head that his visible confusion makes for a hilarious himbo. Sammy doesn’t know what she got herself into and doesn’t fit in with the rest of the rat pack. Dean has such a one-track mind that he doesn’t care what is happening. A shady Frank is such an untrustworthy character that you don’t know where his allegiances lie. Still, his dirty past makes him a vital asset to the rat pack’s survival. Frank uses his cool and dark cunning to rally together an alliance between fellow idiots who are out of their depth and easily manipulated. Meanwhile, Joey doesn’t want any part of it and knows she is better off alone, or at least until she can prove Frank wrong.
The film enters into meta territory when they start relying on vampire lore to figure out how to kill Abigail. So you’ll hear debates if Abigail is a vampire from “True Blood” or “Twilight.” Lots of Nosfaratu is mentioned in the banter. Frank curses Agatha Christie’s name as a nod to the murderous situation that they are in. One thing is for sure, Joey is the only one who is thinking clearly.
Since “Abigail” is a Radio Silence feature, it stands to reason that the blood splatter is extremely over the top—which is true when you see a bunch of meat bags explode when someone drives a stake through them. Even the visuals of Sammy swimming through a pool of rotting bodies are enough to make the strongest person squirm. The hacker’s screams of terror are the appropriate reaction to the idea that there are bodies in the pool. And Durand is clearly having fun playing the all-brawn, no-brain guy. So, all of the supporting cast members play their parts well with the material they are given, and then some.
If anything, the film belongs to Barrera, Stevens, and Weir. Barrera’s Joey isn’t so much concerned about the money as she is getting back to her son, so it’s easy to see why she may care about Abigail’s well-being, even though she is a child who is clearly more than capable of taking care of herself. As for Stevens’ Frank, he is such an unpredictable character that his deviousness takes him as far as the film needs him to go. And Weir chews up the screen as Abigail, a role that requires a tremendous amount of physicality and emotion. The actor pirouettes from ballet dancer to vicious vampire effortlessly and with such grace that you can’t help but be enamored with her dance movements but then be terrified when she moves in for the kill. Not only that, but she can also be twisted. She tugs at your heartstrings whenever she cries in fear for her life. While Joey is the only one concerned for her life, it’s clear that she is the one to be feared when she starts to play mind games with her victims and gaslights them.
In the end, “Abigail” has no qualms about fully embracing the B-movie spirit. It’s a modern vampire movie that has fun putting a twist on the classic characters that have scared audiences for generations. Add to the fact that the imaginative Radio Silence are behind this edgy and very bloody flick, you have something that is fun for today’s audiences while also opening the door to find out about Abigail’s lore and mythology.
9.5/10
Abigail is in theaters April 19, 2024.
