Movie: Abigail
Production Company: Radio Silence Productions, Project X Entertainment
Director: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillet
Producers: James Vanderbilt, Chad Villella, William Sherak, Tripp Vinson, Paul Neinstein
Scriptwriters: Stephen Shields, Guy Busick
Main Cast: Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens, Alisha Weir, William Catlett, Katherine Newton, Kevin Durand, Angus Cloud, Giancarlo Esposito
Release Date: 19th April 2024
Running Time: 109 minutes
Certificate: 18
Introduction: This new horror from the directors of 2019’s thoroughly enjoyable ‘Ready Or Not’ is a splatter-tastic good time.
Synopsis: A group of criminals kidnap the ballerina daughter of an powerful crime lord and hide out in a secluded mansion; only to find out she is no normal girl.
Analysis: Horror-Comedy is very hard to do, let alone getting it right. I consider the highest water mark to be Edgar Wright’s timeless ‘Shaun of the Dead’, a film that is able to mix both genres perfectly together. ‘Abigail’ is not even close to ‘Shaun of the Dead’ nor did I think it would be, but in terms of delivering a squelchy horror flick with a few chuckles in there, it does it’s job. Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillet bring the sadistic fun of ‘Ready or Not’ to the forefront here (they also directed two of the most recent ‘Scream’ films), capitalizing especially on the violence and gore and amping it up to the absolute maximum; boy does it have fun with it’s 18 certificate.
Very rarely have I seen a film as unashamed about the sheer amount of splatter thrown at the audience as this is, which reduced a few audience members in my screening to squeamish reactions of enjoyable repulsion. It certainly gives you your moneys worth. The less thought you give the writing and plot the better I’d say; the narrative does not fall through but it is certainly not the strong point of the film. I could never really buy into some things that are revealed. Despite it’s tight and tidy 109 minute running time, I did also feel that it began to overstay it’s welcome ever so slightly.
Despite that, the cast are clearly having a good time with this and I was never bored watching them. They manage a good level of humour for the most part, and have passable chemistry. This film also marks Agnus Cloud’s final appearance before his sudden and tragic passing too. The horror and action is certainly enough to entertain a mainstream crowd, and the gags and comedy clearly did well enough to elicit fairly loud laughter. Good fun.
In cinemas now.
Overall Rating: 7/10 – Respectable
Target Audience: 18+
Content Warning: strong bloody violence, gore
Recommendation: Yes
