Movie · 2024 · Horror, Thriller · 1h 49m · R · English
Curator score: 2.3/10 (615.7K ratings)
Children can be such monsters.
Overview
A group of criminals kidnap a teenage ballet dancer, the daughter of a notorious gang leader, in order to obtain a ransom of $50 million, but over time, they discover that she is not just an ordinary girl. After the kidnappers begin to diminish, one by one, they discover, to their increasing horror, that they are locked inside with no normal little girl.
Ratings
Curator score: 2.3/10
IMDb: 6.5/10
Letterboxd: 3.00/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 83%
Metacritic: 62
TMDB: 6.7/10
Director
Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
Production
Project X Entertainment, Radio Silence, Universal Pictures, Vinson Films
Cast
Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens, Alisha Weir, William Catlett, Kathryn Newton, Kevin Durand, Angus Cloud, Giancarlo Esposito, Matthew Goode
Curator Review
Verdict
A slick, blood-splattered horror-comedy with a strong hook, energetic ensemble, and a playful twist on the home-invasion/kidnapping setup. It’s most appealing if you want a crowd-pleasing, gore-forward genre ride rather than a deeply scary or especially fresh vampire story.
Best for
fans of horror-comedy with a high body count
viewers who like stylish, ensemble-driven genre movies
people looking for a fun, mean, midnight-movie energy
audiences who enjoy twisty captivity thrillers with practical gore
Skip if
you want sustained dread or serious horror
you dislike campy humor mixed with violence
you prefer tightly grounded crime thrillers
you are tired of vampire-adjacent genre mashups
Overview
Abigail works best as a glossy, nasty piece of genre entertainment: a kidnapping thriller that keeps mutating into something much more unhinged. The setup is simple, the pacing is brisk, and the movie knows exactly when to lean into banter, blood, and absurdity. It’s not subtle, but it is committed.
Worth noting
The cast gives it a lot of bounce, especially once the film reveals what kind of monster movie it really wants to be. The tonal blend is the main selling point: part siege movie, part dark comedy, part creature feature. When it’s clicking, it feels like a late-night crowd movie built for gasps and laughs.
Bottom line
That said, the film’s appeal is narrower than its premise suggests. If you want genuine terror or a more disciplined thriller, it can feel a little too jokey and familiar. But if you’re in the mood for blood, attitude, and a few sharp surprises, it delivers enough to make the ride worthwhile.
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In this essay I will