By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs
I went in with grand expectations to see the new horror movie
"Abigail" which is a reimagining of the 1936 Universal Classic Monsters film "Dracula's Daughter."
To my delight, "Abigail" didn't disappoint. This spine-chilling spectacle directed and written by the filmmaking duo
Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler "Radio Silence" Gillett, ("Scream VI" and "Ready or Not") is an intense and blood-splattering experience.
"Abigail" delivers everything a horror film fan could want. It's scary, creepy, funny, has a terrific cast, and is insanely gory.
Alisha Weir ("Wicked Little Letters") commands every minute she's on screen, initially as an innocent, ballet-dancing child. However, the rest of the cast also delivers impressive performances.
The premise is straightforward: a group of skilled criminals, who have never met before, are assigned the task of kidnapping a young girl named Abigail (played by Weir). Their goal? To collect a hefty ransom of $50 million from her wealthy father, (Matthew Goode, "Freud's Last Session").
Calling all the shots is the smooth operator Lambert (The always excellent Giancarlo Esposito, "Megalopolis").
The team consists of Joey (Melissa Barrera, "Scream VI"), Peter, (Kevin Durand, TV's "Pantheon") who is more brawn than brains and looks like he could be Elon Musk's older brother. Rickles (an excellent William Catlett, TV's "Constellation") is a former Marine sniper. Sammy (Kathryn Newton, "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania") is a computer hacker with issues. There is also the good-intentioned Dean (a terrific final performance from the late Angus Cloud, "Your Lucky Day"), and Frank ("Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" and "Cuckoo"), Lambert's hot-headed right-hand man.
Their mission: keep an eye on Abigail and patiently wait for one crucial night in a sprawling mansion that seems to have all the necessary amenities. But there's a catch. They can't use their cell phones, and Abigail must never see their faces. Sounds straightforward for a skilled team, right?
Think again. Abigail isn’t your typical 12-year-old ballerina. She’s something far more sinister—a thirsty vampire, hungry for blood and more.
As the story unfolds, “Abigail” takes unexpected twists and turns. When she unleashes her wrath in explosive and bloody fashion, the movie transforms into an all-out fright fest.
Brace yourself for a bloody good time with “Abigail.”
Editor's Note: Be sure to catch my N2Entertainment.net movie talk segment on the Kitty O'Neal Show Fridays now at 5:17 p.m. and 6:47 p.m. on radio station KFBK 93.1 FM and 1530 AM.
Look At This Trailer For
"ABIGAIL"
Lana K. Wilson-Combs is a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA), The American Film Institute (AFI), and a Nominating Committee Voting Member for the NAACP Image Awards.
