Horror movie fans have been treated to plenty of options for gruesome and disturbing delights in the first months of 2024, including Late Night with the Devil, The First Omen and Immaculate. The kills just keep coming, too, with the ballerina vampire flick Abigail from Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett set to hit the big screen on April 19. Critics have screened the film that stars Alisha Weir as the eponymous bloodsucker, and their reactions have me really excited about the upcoming horror movie.
Abigail also features Scream alum Melissa Barrera and the late Angus Cloud (in one of his final roles), as a group of kidnappers apprehend the eponymous child — unaware of the monster she truly is — demanding a $50 million ransom. Fire up those blood cannons, and let’s see what critics think. BJ Colangelo of SlashFilm gives the movie a perfect score of 10 out of 10, saying that Radio Silence has knocked it out of the park with perhaps its best film yet. Colangelo writes:
Traditionally, films that are this delightfully raucous, bloody (and I mean BLOODY), and silly are relegated to B-movie schlock (not a bad thing, for the record), but Abigail still embraces the excessive and ornate gothic aesthetics of classic horror movies. The result is an old-school vampire movie with modern frisk and flair and an absolute blast of a movie to watch with a crowd. I’m sure there will be plenty who think I’m overhyping the film or exaggerating how good it is, but I honestly wouldn’t change a thing. Abigail is a perfect horror movie and already one of the best films of 2024. I pinky promise.
Pope of Whitlock & Pope gives it 4 stars, writing that it solidifies Radio Silence’s place in modern horror. The amount of blood — mentioned by every critic who screened Abigail — is nearly by matched the number of laugh-out-loud moments, Pope writes:
Abigail cements Radio Silence’s place among the major voices of modern horror, with a delightful bit of mischief that pays homage to the classics, sure to appeal to horror enthusiasts while also being accessible to mainstream audiences. Judging by my audience’s reaction, this will be a monster hit. Abigail is a gleeful, bloody, and wildly entertaining slice of horror – a killer ensemble vs a killer ballerina, with gags, gore, twists, turns & fountains of blood. This sets the bar for popcorn horror in 2024. Recommended!
The outlet Atom writes on X (Twitter) that you must see this movie in theaters, as Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett have assembled an A+ ensemble cast that provides so much more than your typical gory thriller. They continue:
Madly magnificent!!! Scream 5 & 6 directors return with glorious gore galore. A violent thriller with so much more. Triple that & multiply by four. This isn’t just another scary movie, it’s one of the best horror movies ever! A fitting end setting up what’s next.
Cody Leach tweets that Abigail is everything you can ask for, combining humor and horror with great performances. the critic writes:
Abigail is everything I want in a vampire flick: great characters, big laughs, and gallons of blood! The most fun I’ve had in the theater this year and I’m happy this sub-genre is making a big return. If you like Lost Boys and From Dusk Till Dawn, sink your teeth into this one!
In addition to the acting and gallons and gallons of blood, Perri Nemiroff also mentions Abigail’s set pieces, one of which actually freaked 14-year-old Alisha Weir out during filming. Nemiroff is already ready for a second viewing, with many to come after, she says:
Abigail is MY kinda movie. (And in general, more and more convinced Radio Silence’s horror sensibilities heavily align with my own with each and every movie they make.) It’s a blood-soaked bonkers good time. A clever spin on the vampire genre filled with loads of wild set pieces and gore, further fueled by a ‘perfectly’ cast electric ensemble. Can already tell this is going to be a frequent rewatch for me.
Writer and podcaster Sharai is another moviegoer who is calling it one of 2024’s top options, tweeting:
Not to sound like a dance mom, but Abigail just danced her way into my current top 10 of the year.
Oh, and did anyone mention that this movie is bloody (like, more bloody than Scream or Ready or Not)? Just in case that point hasn’t been made clearly enough, Room for Scream’s GiGi writes:
When they said they used a lot of blood for this, they meant A LOT of blood 🩸 Abigail is seriously such a great time and one of the best theater experiences I’ve had! It’s got action, jumpscares, ballet routines, laughs, and did I mention a lot of blood?
It sounds like the guys who make up Radio Silence have produced another crowd-pleaser, as most of the critics’ feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Be sure to head to the theater starting Friday, April 19, for this one to catch all the gory action on the big screen, but if you’re a bit squeamish, maybe be strategic when picking your snacks. Also be sure to take a peek at our 2024 movie release schedule to see what else is coming soon.