“Abigail” Review: Radio Silence’s Bloodthirsty Vampire Ballerina Thriller Has Lots of Bite
The filmmaking collective known as Radio Silence- directing duo Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett plus producer Chad Villella- made waves with their twisted 2019 horror-thriller Ready or Not, which led to them getting the rights to the legendary Scream franchise in the 2022 and 2023 sequels. The group clearly have no signs of slowing down, as not even a year after Scream VI, they’ve unleashed another bloody horror-thriller, this time by the name of Abigail.
And now, the horror masters in the making are four-for-four. Abigail makes great use of the collective’s stock and trade of putting likable characters in an enclosed space for a bloody good time, except this time, those characters are contending with a vampire ballerina. As crazy as it sounds, it makes for a fun time at the movies that will certainly elicit screams, shocks and thrills.
The titular Abigail (an arresting Alisha Weir) is kidnapped by an anonymous crew of master thieves, who have adopted aliases and have holed up in a discreet house in the middle of nowhere until they can collect the $50 million bounty from her mysterious and rich father. But as the night goes on, the crew, chief among them Joey (scream queen in the making Melissa Barrera), Frank (Dan Stevens, Legion) and Sammy (Kathryn Newton, Freaky) discover that not only are they trapped in the house with no means of escape, but Abigail is in fact a vampire, who starts picking them off one by one.
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From the taught opening, which immediately drops the audience into the action, Abigail plays with expectations. At first glance to the uninitiated, it’s a kidnapping thriller that brings the tension to the max, as the crew must keep Abigail safe while also piecing together what makes her so special and valuable. Then, it goes to hell once Abigail’s secret is revealed, which amazingly doesn’t occur till around 45 minutes in, and the horror elements go full force, with the film shifting into a haunted house-esque cat and mouse game as they must dodge Abigail’s bloody might.
What makes it work isn’t just that the game involves a ballerina vampire, but that the cast going against her are an eclectic group that despite the deliberate mystery around them, you’ll find yourself liking. Barrera, the clear lead, makes Joey a far cry from Sam Carpenter and is always a commanding presence that she sells from minute one to the end credits. If Barrera wasn’t a megastar before this, this movie, the press surrounding it and her resilience after a highly publicized controversy will make her one.
Stevens, who’s having a rockstar year between this, Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire and the upcoming Cuckoo, also owns the screen and is onscreen and off competing for the lead, while Newton also separates herself from past characters she’s played, as Sammy is among the more fun members of the cast. Even the late Angus Cloud, in his final film role before his tragic passing, makes a great impression, showing his talent that was taken from us far too soon.
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But the unquestioned standout is Weir, who brings it and then some as the titular monster. She shows true range, going from a seemingly harmless and terrified little girl to one of the most vicious, cold blooded and creative killers in modern horror. The feeling the audience goes through seeing her progression is not dissimilar to the characters’ which makes for an experiential ride like no other. Weir knocks it out of the park and has a very bright future on film.
And yes, everything you’ve heard about this being Radio Silence’s bloodiest film yet is right on the money. The gory, blood-showering kills here would make Fede Alvarez blush and it escalates in intensity as the film goes on, eschewing the notion that horror movies have to immediately bring the blood. The film also has plentiful twists and turns that only get crazier and more intense by act three; no one can say that they know what’s going to happen next, which makes this a truly unpredictable experience.
Abigail brings the blood, the thrills and the fun in a freshly exciting horror flick from the brightest and best in the genre. Radio Silence has horror fans by the throat and no matter what the duo does next, we’ll be there.
Abigail is now playing in theaters everywhere.