Just Who Stalks Whom Makes Abigail All The More Scarier. But Is Daddy Dearest Deadlier?

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Universal Studios Abigail is a return to form after a crazy last year of horror movies that have been hit-and-miss. Here, wannabe kidnappers grab a young teen and while tasked to watch over her until the ransom is met, little do they know just how much of a monster she is! Anyone who has seen the trailers knows a lot more about what’s going on than they do. Had they been familiar with Anne Rice’s book Interview with a Vampire, they’d know just how scary Claudia can get, but they’re none the wiser.

Instead, all they know is that she’s the daughter of a powerful gangster. She lives a rather privileged lifestyle, enjoying ballet and playing with her dolls. However, once when we see her offer a sinister grin, and only one member of this gang even offers a sense of guilt, what I got to see is scarier than Alien! Alisha Weir is awesome in the role, injecting enough innocence and pathos to make anyone cautious.

Also, the moments of stealth are executed in a familiar manner–and one by one, the group of six slowly dwindles to one. Joey (Melissa Barrera), Frank (Dan Stevens), Sammy (Kathryn Newton), Dean (Angus Cloud), Rickles (William Catlett) and Peter (Kevin Durand) are afraid. Even though they try to cage Aby up, they’ll fail because they don’t even know what can stop a vampire.

And when this group isn’t even a team, to see who will help whom makes for an engaging cat and mouse game. This film moves rather fast, and I was begging for more.

Also, I feel this work shares some DNA with the cabin in the woods trope. Although once upon a time, the studio thought of making this work part of the Dark Universe, sadly those plans fell apart after the box office failure of Mummy. They changed direction and just let producers craft movies that can fit in, but technically they don’t. Last year had the terrific Last Voyage of the Demeter, and it would’ve been cool to have an Easter egg referring to that venture long ago.

Abigail is set in the modern day, and doesn’t recognise anything else beyond its own scope. The surprise appearance of this little vampire’s father is a nice touch, but I can’t decide who is hammier–Nicolas Cage or Matthew Goode–in the role of daddy dearest. Either way, this surprise hit proves some people from this studio know how to make a horror film. After the disappointing Night Swim, perhaps it’s best to reimagine the classics than try something new.

4 Stars out of 5

Abigail Movie Trailer

Author: Ed Sum

I'm a freelance videographer and entertainment journalist (Absolute Underground Magazine, Two Hungry Blokes, and Otaku no Culture) with a wide range of interests. From archaeology to popular culture to paranormal studies, there's no stone unturned. Digging for the past and embracing "The Future" is my mantra. View all posts by Ed Sum