” A child vampire dancer hunts her kidnappers inside a haunted house” sounds like an amazing concept for a movie, but it's also the kind of ridiculous premise that usually falls short in execution. Too often, movies with funny records try to get away with their outrageous idea entirely. But a movie needs a lot more than that to be legitimately good. It needs good writing, cinematography, acting, production and the right tone to avoid feeling too serious or too silly. It needs everything Abigail it has, because this horror comedy not only lives up to its premise, it surpasses it. Abigail is an intense, creepy, funny, and often weird ode to vampire stories that has the perfect amount of humor and a fantastic cast.
If someone enters Abigail unknowingly, they'll spend the first half thinking they're watching a tight, well-made traditional heist movie. It opens with a group of strangers hired to do a well-paid job. They steal a little girl to rescue her from her rich father. All they have to do to win their millions is stay in a creepy old mansion with the boy for 24 hours. Trouble begins (or so they believe) when they discover that their father is a mythical figure from the underworld and they are all in mortal danger. It's a classic concept for a thriller and this version of the film is incredibly well done and gripping. This part of the film is claustrophobic and unsettling, and the group is dynamic and interesting enough to add extra tension.
In some other universe this is the story Abigail he has finished telling, while Keyser Söze comes to look for his daughter. And in that world, my Variant is currently writing a review praising the film for being a satisfying and entertaining entry in the heist gone wrong genre. But in this reality, the film goes in a dramatically different direction. Halfway through the movie it turns into a vampire movie. And I'm so sorry for my parallel self, because this gender switch is so much fun.
The film's fantastic production design also adds much-needed weight to a film that could easily seem too pointless in lesser hands. The old haunted mansion feels like a real place, giving Abigail a necessary feeling of taking place in an authentic place. The film is claustrophobic, but never feels confined by its surroundings.
Despite the trailers, Abigail it's more horror than comedy, but it never forgets its comic base. I laughed from beginning to end. This perfect balance keeps things light enough without reducing tension. This movie is about as creepy as locking yourself inside a house with vampire sounds, though it's haunting rather than scary. Both the action and the horror are also elevated by the deft camera work of directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. There are multiple sequences and moments that made me smile throughout, and how they shot them is one of the big reasons.
This includes a memorable scene with Kathryn Newton and young Alisha Weir that is among my favorites of 2024. I won't dare spoil it, but you'll know it when you see it.
Both Newton and Weir are tremendous from start to finish. Newton is essentially the fourth lead, but she's absolutely charming and magnetic every time she's on screen. But the movie simply wouldn't work if the young Weir wasn't absolutely fantastic as the child vampire. She's funny, charismatic, creepy, and has the acting chops of a 40-year-old veteran. I really can't believe how well it is chewing up scenery and passes. His blood-soaked smile is somehow angelic and devilish. If it were possible to buy shares in her acting career, she would count on an early retirement.
However, they are far from the old standouts of the cast. Melissa Barrera anchors the film so that it stays grounded enough. She provides the right level of gravitas without feeling like she's in a different movie. Barrera's “Joey” (all the kidnappers use fake names, which is why the movie has a “Don Rickles”) is smart, capable and a lot of fun. She's also the only one who seems to fully understand what's going on and how to deal with the situation. This leads to some great, funny and sharp interactions with his fellow kidnappers/dinner options. (This includes some interactions where they talk about vampires. It's the right kind of meta, referential, funny, and reverent without being obnoxious. This movie takes vampires seriously, but in a way that people who love stories do of vampires.)
Many of them take place with Dan Stevens, who once again proves why Dan Stevens should be in everything. I couldn't love him in this movie more than I do. He plays the de facto leader of the group “Frank”, a dangerous and skilled idiot. Frank is also funny because Stevens elevates even his most basic dialogue into memorable and funny lines. He exemplifies why this film is so successful. Stevens is very funny, but not overtly silly. It's intense and intimidating, but not too serious. He gets right to the line of shlock without ever crossing over, because his Frank still seems like a real person. He is the embodiment of everything Abigail it's good to find the perfect tone for what you set out to do.
As does Kevin Durand, who plays the big dumb muscle of the group, Peter. He's cute, funny, and nails all of his scenes. The late Angus Cloud isn't nearly as lovable, but that's a compliment. He plays Dean, an intentionally annoying character that Cloud imbues with just enough humanity to make him likable and human. Without this element, Dean would stand out for all the wrong reasons. Instead, it's just another vital cog in a well-oiled machine that works as its engineer intended.
I Abigail it works in almost every way. It just falls short when it tries to hit some emotional beats that just don't quite make it. Minus one truly emotional scene with Joey de Barrera, the film struggles to add heart it doesn't really need. And there's also an underwhelming moment near the end that won't be exactly what most people expect, but no one will care about on a second viewing.
This movie also gets really, wonderfully weird and outrageous at times in the best way. It also gets incredibly gory. It's not as gory as you might expect. But by the end of the movie, you'll feel like you're personally swimming in a pool of blood.
The result is a thoroughly satisfying cinematic experience. I wanted to look again Abigail the second ended, because while “a vampire child dancer hunts down her kidnappers inside a haunted house” is a great premise for a movie, Abigail it's even better than that.
Mikey Walsh is a staff writer for Nerdist. Can't wait to talk about a specific line of dialogue from Abigail. You can follow it Twitter i Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.
