SSP Thinks Film

Radio Silence do like their showers of viscera to liven up a film’s third act. Following on from READY OR NOT and 2 instalments in the SCREAM franchise, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett stay in the horror genre with their latest, ABIGAIL. A gang of criminals including Dan Stevens, Melissa Barrera and Kathryn Newton are employed to kidnap and hold hostage the daughter of a rich man after her ballet practice, but soon realise the creepy mansion acting as their safehouse has trapped them with a diminutive, pirouetting vampire (Alisha Weir). The strongest element of this is probably the first act when we’re introduced to each of the gang in turn and they then try to work each other out while keeping their own cards close to the chest. Once all the genre stuff comes into play it’s still fun but it’s also pretty messy and inelegant and could probably do with losing 15 minutes. SSP