Reviewed by Seth Metoyer, MoreHorrorMovies.com, Social Media: @morehorror
Sometimes, walking into a film blind can be the best way to experience a story, especially in the horror genre. Unfortunately, I wasn’t so lucky with Abigail. While the promotional materials make it clear that Abigail is no ordinary girl, I won’t spoil the specifics for those who might have avoided the trailers. Let’s just say the kidnappers quickly realize they’ve bitten off more than they can chew.
Directed by the team behind Ready or Not and Scream (2022), Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, Abigail starts with a classic crime thriller setup: a group of kidnappers, led by Joey (Melissa Barrera, Scream VI, Bed Rest), abducts a young girl from a powerful crime lord, demanding a $50 million ransom. The team, including Frank (Dan Stevens, The Guest), Sammy (Kathryn Newton, Freaky), Rickles (Will Catlett, Blacklight), Peter (Kevin Durand, The Strain), and Dean (Angus Cloud, Euphoria), has to hold her overnight in a secluded mansion, expecting the job to be a breeze. What they don’t know is that Abigail (Alisha Weir, Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical) is far from helpless. She's a centuries-old bloodsucker who’s been playing dead for a lot longer than her captors have been alive.
Where Abigail shines is its blend of tension and gore. The film doesn’t wait long to show its cards, as one by one, the kidnappers find out they’re trapped inside with a girl who can tear them apart. Abigail, with her small frame and innocent appearance, uses her supernatural speed, strength, and bloodlust to take them down in brutal fashion. The kidnappers, now prey, have to find a way to survive until morning.
Melissa Barrera delivers a strong performance as Joey, the reluctant leader trying to hold the crew together as things unravel fast. Dan Stevens is a standout as Frank, a crooked ex-cop who thought this would be his ticket to an easy life but finds himself in way over his head. Kathryn Newton’s Sammy brings some comic relief as the hacker whose thrill-seeking nature crumbles when faced with real danger, while Kevin Durand and Angus Cloud embody the muscle and madness of the group with chilling authenticity.
The setting plays a crucial role, too. The mansion is the perfect mix of gothic horror and modern isolation, with plenty of dark corners and eerie rooms that heighten the film’s tension. You can almost feel the claustrophobia as the characters realize there’s no way out—and no one coming to save them.
While the vampire twist may not be revolutionary, Abigail works because it leans into its strengths: high tension, great performances, and gory fun. Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett craft a film that feels both familiar and fresh, with a narrative that mixes heist-thriller sensibilities with horror carnage. Abigail’s ancient vampire lore isn’t deeply explored, but her cold, calculated brutality more than makes up for any lack of backstory.
By the time the credits roll, it’s clear: Abigail is a blood-soaked, nerve-wracking ride that delivers on its promise of carnage. Even if you know what’s coming, you won’t be able to look away. For horror fans looking for something that blends tension and terror with plenty of bite, Abigail is a must-watch.