Lacklustre execution in Abigail fails to find its footing
Abigail (M18)
91 minutes, opens April 18, 2024
2 stars
When it comes to horror, expectations often ride high on the shoulders of anticipation. Unfortunately, Abigail fails to rise to the occasion, and is more likely to leave viewers bemused than terrified.
Directed by the acclaimed Radio Silence duo, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, known for their works in modern horror hits like Ready Or Not and the Scream franchise, Abigail initially promises a thrilling ride into the depths of terror.
Yet, despite its pedigree, the film stumbles into clichés and cheap scares, relying heavily on gore scenes and predictable jump scares that fail to evoke genuine dread.
The premise sets the stage for a potentially gripping tale: a group of inept criminals finds themselves trapped in an isolated mansion with a 12-year-old ballerina named Abigail, whom they kidnapped for a hefty ransom. However, as the night progresses, they soon discover that Abigail is no ordinary girl but a bloodthirsty vampire.
While the concept holds promise, Abigail squanders its potential with a disjointed narrative and a tonal mishmash. The film opens like a heist movie, introducing each member of the kidnapping crew through back-to-back one-liners and expository conversation.
By the time the story turns to horror, you’d be forgiven for forgetting that you were watching a horror flick.
As is typical with the horror genre, characters repeatedly make nonsensical decisions throughout the film – be it venturing to different rooms of the mansion alone or refusing to cooperate with each other – solely to propel the plot.
Interspersed moments of attempted humour fall flat, failing to elicit more than a subdued chuckle from the audience, and end up detracting from the horror setting rather than adding to it.
Additionally, the inclusion of a secondary plot revolving around Melissa Barrera's protagonist and her baggage feels awkward and unnecessary. It seemingly attempts to resonate with the motivations of the undead antagonist, but concludes predictably in the last minutes of the movie.
That said, the film isn’t without its merits.
Alisha Weir’s portrayal of the titular vampire shines, particularly during the initial reveal of her vampiric nature. Kathryn Newton also plays a convincing undead puppet during the chilling transformation of her character into a vampire lackey.
However, these highlights are overshadowed by the film's overall lacklustre execution. In the end, Abigail struggles to find its footing, wavering between horror, comedy, and drama without committing wholeheartedly to any.
Unless you’re looking for an easy watch where you and your friends can place bets on which order the characters will inevitably fall prey to the vampiric entity, save your time and wait for Abigail to hit streaming platforms – it’s best enjoyed as background noise while tackling household chores on a lazy weekend.
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