Abigail (2024)

For the seventh entry of this year’s Halloween Fifteen, I took a look at 2024’s Abigail, directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett — the duo behind Ready or Not and the recent Scream entries. Though I hadn’t seen their previous work before this, Abigail made me want to check them out.

The film is part heist movie, part comedy, and part horror. It follows a group of criminals, each chosen for their particular skill, brought together to kidnap a young girl. As the story unfolds, they begin to realize not only who hired them, but what exactly they’ve gotten themselves into. The less you know going in, the better. Unfortunately, the trailer gave away the film’s big twist, which I think hurt its performance at the box office. Still, if you go in blind, there’s a lot to enjoy.

While Abigail isn’t especially scary, it’s packed with energy. The humor lands consistently, the jump scares are effective, and there’s plenty of blood and gore to satisfy horror fans. The film strikes a balance between tension and laughs — you’re never sure whether the next scene will make you flinch or chuckle.

The cast is a huge reason the film works as well as it does. Alicia Weir (as Abigail) completely steals the show, delivering a performance that’s both eerie and commanding. The ensemble — including Angus Cloud, Katherine Newton, Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens, and Kevin Durand — all play off each other really well, bringing out the film’s sharp dialogue and personality.

If there’s a weak spot, it’s the ending. It feels indecisive, like the filmmakers couldn’t decide whether to leave things open for a sequel or not. It doesn’t ruin the experience, but it’s a slightly underwhelming conclusion to an otherwise strong ride.

Overall, Abigail is a clever, funny, and blood-soaked twist on the heist genre with a horror edge. It’s not your typical Halloween movie, but it’s perfect if you want something fresh that still delivers the goods.