Abigail features nothing we haven’t seen before in Ready or Not and the groups Scream films. Abigail is very well made, featuring some fantastic set design in the form of an elaborate mansion evocative of the starring location of Ready or Not.

Abigail is the latest horror outing from creative team Radio Silence. Perhaps best known for their work on the films Ready or Not and Scream VI, the team have quickly established themselves as a consistent source of fun mainstream horror films. With Abigail, the team returns to their bag of tricks and thrills to reimagine a Universal Monster classic, but the facade may be failing as it’s beginning to feel like diminishing returns. Which breaks my heart to say.

Abigail opens up with Joey (Melissa Barrera) and a crew of five other criminals pulling off a simple but big payday job: kidnap the daughter of a wealthy millionaire and hold her for ransom. While the setup seems simple at first Abigail soon unravels into chaos and bloodshed when the crew learns their victim is more than she seems… and she has a thirst for blood.

Radio Silence cleverly update a semi forgotten Universal Monster classic for the modern era presenting an escape room style film with an intriguing central mystery. Abigail at times feels like an expertly crafted funhouse of horrors, but the pacing is all over the place. The first half of the film is very slow and uneventful, and the second half feels as though its racing through reveal after reveal. Thankfully the cast of main players such as Barrera, Dan Stevens, Kathryn Newton and Alisha Weir are wonderfully charismatic and deliver the best moments of the script with expert precision. I found myself laughing with glee at horrifyingly gory moments that are supplemented with a twisted sense of humor. Wier is the absolute MVP as the titular character bringing an impressive amount of physicality and zaniness to the role that had me eager to see what insanity she would unleash next.

So why isn’t this a home run? It seems right up Radio Silence’s alley and the perfect setup for a raving good time. Well, truth be told, Abigail features nothing we haven’t seen before in Ready or Not and the groups Scream films. Abigail is very well made, featuring some fantastic set design in the form of an elaborate mansion evocative of the starring location of Ready or Not. The writing is sharp witted and has some genuinely funny moments. The gore and creature effects are wonderful as well.  

But it all feels like the same song and dance. A very good song and dance, like a familiar song coming on at a party just at the right moment, but nothing that will blow you away. Did you like Scream VI? Did you like Ready or Not? Abigail is for you! I can say without a doubt though that if you weren’t a fan of those films, nothing in Abigail will change your mind. I like Abigail quite a bit. I’m right on the cusp of outright loving it. But I can’t help but shake this feeling that I would rather revisit some of Radio Silence’s previous work before watching this one.

Grade: C+

Oscar Prospects:
Likely: None
Should be Considered: None

Where to Watch: Available on PVOD