For the second consecutive year, a child on a musical, murderous rampage has stolen the hearts of Horror fans - this time in the form of Abigail. The stakes were high - and not just the ones aimed at this vampire’s heart. All eyes have been on lead Melissa Barrera (Scream,) who recently declared Palestinian solidarity amidst an ongoing genocide. Spyglass somehow interpreted her words as anti-Semitic and cut Barrera from the Scream franchise. Pressure then mounted on directorial team Radio Silence (Ready or Not,) who left that franchise shortly thereafter. Enter Abigail, the ballerina vampire film (directed by Radio Silence) ambitiously dancing into theaters on its tippy toes. Could Melissa continue her streak as one of the freshest faces in film? Could Radio Silence handle the weight of Angus Cloud’s (Euphoria) final performance? Is Kathryn Newton (Freaky, Lisa Frankenstein) collecting campy Horror roles like Infinity Stones? Just how similar does garlic look to onions? These burning questions sunk their fangs into delicious answers by Abigail’s satisfying, blood-soaked finale.
Barrera’s cautious and protective Joey leads with warm familiarity. Actor Dan Stevens (Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire) lends a distracting accent to the dastardly Frank. Thankfully, that accent takes the backseat to grandiose theatricality just in time for his final confrontation against Barrera’s Joey. Kathryn Newton continues being fun personified. She makes “scene-stealing” look easy with her quips and timing. While Cloud’s character faces a memorably brutal death, the actor receives a sentimental dedication when his signature appears mid-credits.
The biggest bloodsucker in Abigail is…its own marketing. About 20 minutes of exposition are wasted on teasing the key reveal of Abigail’s vampyric nature. A reveal that is spoiled in the very trailers and posters that got audiences in seats in the first place. That being said, once the relentless Alisha Weir bares her fangs, Abigail spirals into non-stop dark whimsy. It’s this sense of playfulness that liberates Abigail from retreading tired vampire lore. This movie enjoyably dances in its own mess. Much like 2019’s Ready Or Not, Radio Silence’s signature senseless explosions of blood are key to the film’s gory glory. By the movie’s end, its obvious that final girl Melissa Barrera and Radio Silence are a polarizing team that can dance to whatever music they choose.