Abigail review: Ballerina vampire movie is a bloody good time

Abigail might not reinvent the wheel, but Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett’s blood-soaked, high-concept vampire flick is a great Friday night popcorn movie for horror fans to sink their teeth into. 

Although it’s pitched as a retelling of the 1936 Universal Monsters classic, Dracula’s Daughter, Abigail is a far cry from its predecessor. Instead of the sapphic Countess of the 1936 original, the creature of the night’s spawn is a blood-sucking ballerina tween.

In this day and age, it’s hard to make vampires truly terrifying. Mercifully, the Radio Silence team know what they’re doing, instead injecting the film with plenty of humor and slapstick gore to make Abigail worthwhile. 

Sure, it sticks to a safe formula, one that sits within an already done to death horror subgenre. But what elevates Abigail is its host of talented cast members, as well as the undeniable guest star: All. The. blood. 

Abigail benefits from a talented cast

The plot sees a group of criminals kidnap the girl with the plan of holding her for ransom, assuming she’s the rich kid offspring of a high-ranking (but shadowy) individual. Their job? To keep her at a stately home for 24 hours. But when the doors lock and Abigail’s fangs come out, bloody chaos ensues. 

This format allows for a great collection of compelling characters, brought to life by a fantastic lineup. Radio Silence brings back Scream queen Melissa Barrera as the brooding team leader, Joey. She butts heads with Frank, who is played to perfection by Downton Abbey icon Dan Stevens. 

Then you’ve got Kathryn Newton as Sammy, who’s becoming a bit of a scream queen herself after her turn in Lisa Frankenstein. Once again, she proves her horror chops, creating some of Abigail’s most memorable moments. 

Though he doesn’t get much screen time, Giancarlo Esposito is a commanding presence as the no-nonsense ringleader Lambert. Joining the team are William Catlett’s Rickles and Kevin Durand’s Peter, who also bring something fresh to the table. The same goes for the late Angus Cloud in his last on-screen appearance, whose effortless charisma will be greatly missed. 

As you can tell, Abigail is packed with talent. But the honorable mention goes to the eponymous vamp herself, portrayed by Matilda the Musical star Alisha Weir. She’s undoubtedly one to watch, evoking a range of personalities as she goes from being the scared little girl to the maniacal monster. 

Abigail works best when it’s funny

Though the characters have unique traits, their arcs are a little predictable — it’s soon obvious who’s the final girl in this equation. And given Abigail is venturing on well-trodden ground, there aren’t any significant scares. 

Where Abigail works best is when it leans into the humor, even playing around with vampire lore to great effect. It also toes the line of the various genres it dips into, starting off as a heist flick before descending into claustrophobic, vampiric chaos. 

Although it feels a little paint-by-numbers at times, there are some smart twists, and the Radio Silence team more than make up for those weaker points by painting the screen red – literally – with an unholy level of gore.

All of this builds up to a surprisingly satisfying payoff, one that could finish the saga there or segue into a sequel should it get the greenlight down the line.

Abigail review verdict: 3/5

Ultimately, Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel with Abigail. They’re here to deliver a campy, bloody, B-movie-style horror about a ballerina vampire child. And in that sense, they absolutely achieved their goal. 

Abigail comes to cinemas on April 19. For more horror, check out our roundup of the best horror movies of all time. You can also find the best new movies heading to streaming this month.