Abigail
Radio Silence's latest doesn't lack bite.
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I’ve become a pretty big fan of the horror filmmaking duo Radio Silence (Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett) in recent years between “Ready or Not,” “Scream” (2022) and “Scream VI” and therefore was very excited for their vampire vehicle “Abigail” (now in theaters). Thankfully, the movie mostly lives up to the hype.
A bunch of codenamed criminals comprised of recovering junkie Joey (Melissa Barrera), ex-cop Frank (Dan Stevens), ex-Marine Don Rickles (William Catlett), silver spoon computer hacker Sammy (Kathryn Newton), lunkheaded hired muscle Peter (Kevin Durand) and blunted getaway driver Dean (the late Angus Cloud) collaborate to nab a 12-year-old girl named Abigail (impressive Irish child actress Alisha Weir) from her father (Matthew Goode) for ransom at the behest of their handler Lambert (Giancarlo Esposito).
The gang and their target hole up in a gothic country mansion where things go bump in the night and the kidnappers begin getting bumped off. Turns out Abigail is more than meets the eye and if these crooks don’t band together they’re all gonna die.
I didn’t dig “Abigail” quite as much as Radio Silence’s past few efforts, but there’s still plenty of fun to be had. The cast really comes to play. I genuinely hope Barrera doesn’t get canceled for her pro-Palestine statements as she’s an appealing and sympathetic screen presence. Stevens is having himself one helluva 2024 chewing scenery likably in “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” and chewing scenery sleazily here. Catlett’s Rickles is a cool and likable cat and he very much recalls/resembles a young Vondie Curtis-Hall going so far as to rock the same flat top from “Die Hard 2.” Newton has an awesome dance number set to Danzig’s “Blood and Tears.” Durand and Cloud (to whom there’s a nice tribute) imbue their criminal characters with more respective sweetness and humor than these stock sorts often get. Weir is the clear standout however easily oscillating between childlike innocence and aged anger. She also proves to be an impressive physical presence performing a variety of dances and stunts.
The script from Irish screenwriter Stephen Shields (the picture was filmed in Dublin despite taking place in New York) and frequent Radio Silence collaborator Guy Busick is often very funny, but arguably could’ve been tightened up a bit. Its midsection is flabby and the movie would play better closer to an hour and a half as opposed to nearly two hours.
Radio Silence have the guts to stage an explosive conclusion that often recalls their “Ready or Not.” It’ll stick with if not on you.