Set to release on 19th April 2024, Abigail is a vampire horror-comedy that explores the classic Universal Monsters story but from a modern perspective. The film is directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett and features suspense, comedy, and elements of magic.
Synopsis
This follows a crew of criminals, who kidnaps ballerina Abigail aka Alisha Weir, who’s also a 12 year old daughter of a well-known mafia for an intention of 50 million dollar ransom. On their way to collect the payment, they lock themselves inside a remote mansion but during the course of the night, they come to the realization that they have trapped a child who is much more than meets the eye, a VAMPIRE leading the kidnappers and the child to have a survival struggle.
Cast & Crew
- Directors: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
- Screenwriters: Stephen Shields, Guy Busick
- Producers: Radio Silence Productions, Universal Pictures
Overall cast:
- Alisha Weir as Abigail
- Melissa Barrera as Joey a part of the kidnap gang.
- Dan Stevens as Victor who is the one behind the entire Closing in plot.
- Kathryn Newton as Lila who is one of the accessories in the plan.
- Will Catlett as Reggie who is part of the criminal crew.
- Kevin Durand as Dmitri who is a goon.
- Angus Cloud as Nico who is part of the crew and a tech specialist.
- Giancarlo Esposito as Mr Caldwell who plays Abigail’s father.
Production and Release
Abigail broadens the vampire mythos by modernizing it such as with granting perspective in the 1936 vampire film daughter of dracula . It was filmed in multiple locations which were specifically set with concern to enhance the atmosphere enabling the film to pull off suspense and humor facets. The directors,who were behind the two recent Scream movies and Ready or not, had the vision of merging comedy with horror.
On April 19, 2024, the movie made its debut in cinemas across the globe where it remained until May 7, 2024 during which the movie was made available for streaming on Peacock starting July 19, 2024.
Critical Reception
The movie ‘Abigail’ was able to receive decent reviews for its interesting and original storyline along with commendable acting. Alisha Weir was lauded for her performance during the movie, who played a character that treads the fine line dividing a sweet angel and a terrifying demon. Another addition to the narrative, Melissa Barrera, who plays Joey, brought much needed balance to the narrative during her performance.
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes praise the film for its mixture of comedy and horror elements. Matthew Briody of Film Ireland Magazine agrees, “Abigail’s story reinforces the vampire film that embraces something as original as What We Do in the Shadows.”
When discussing the film, Simon Abrams from RogerEbert.com said the movie has, “wacky high-concept horror thriller about a team of kidnappers who unwittingly snatch up ballerina vampire, borderline child, and bite off more than they can chew”.
Analysis and themes
The movie Abigail portrays concepts linked with deception, survival, and taking advantage of people’s expectations. Unlike traditional horror, Abigail portrays the victim as a predator which is the reversal of kidnapping plot. This deconstruction opens the door to dark humor while at the same time ponders over stereotypes of judging people by their appearance.
Innocent people, including Abigail, serve as a warning of the consequences of incorrect assumptions and prejudice. The film also shows the interaction of the criminal group, where a person’s greed and loyalty, and immoral consequences of their actions are the central storylines.
Box Office Performance
Abigail experienced a budgetary-contingent commendable box office while on its theatrical run but it has managed to leave an impression on the horror crowd. The film achieved great success once it premiered on Peacock as a ‘hidden gem’ giving it unrivaled success on other streaming platforms.
Cultural Impact
The film, along with Abigail, was a great contributor in bringing the combination of comedy and horror back in theaters suggesting they were effective in inducing fright and causing laughter. The film offered a novel approach to well-known stories by altering the age old portrayal of vampires. Moreover, Abigail was an example of the expanding scope of genre movies on streaming services.
Conclusion
Abigail is a unique offering that brings a different outlook to vampires as it is a mixture of horror and comedy that adds altogether new value to the narrative making it great for comedy as well as horror fans. While the narrative is captivating thanks to Alisha Weir and Melissa Barrera’s performance, Fans of the genre will not be disappointed. After all, a change in perspective of the horror story were shown on various platforms further broadens its market.
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