The team of directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett and screenwriter Guy Busick have been well-discussed on this site. I have, in general, enjoyed their recent output – Scream VI notwithstanding. Their latest, Abigail (based on a story by Stephen Shields, who also gets a shared writing credit), has a similar generic blend to 2019’s Ready or Not. The latter film, a violent and comedic Most Dangerous Game send-up taking place almost entirely at one lavish estate, was a good bit of morbid fun. Abigail, an even more violent comedy horror film taking place almost entirely at one lavish estate, is similarly good for a light bit of morbid fun.

The film has two distinct halves. In the first, a group of criminals hired to kidnap a wealthy man’s daughter (Alisha Weir) bring her to a remote location. They are told to hold her in an ornate mansion for 24 hours while a ransom is solicited. Joey (Melissa Barrera), who is tasked with keeping an eye on Abigail, is rocked when the 12-year-old girl tells her that she is sorry for what is about to happen. Soon, the crew starts hearing strange things. One of them screams out. All matter of things begin going bump in the night. Enter: a new genre.

The crime-thriller-turned-horror-movie twist has been heavily featured in the film’s marketing, so it is hardly a spoiler at this point to address the turn. That said, it is a highly enjoyable reversal that would benefit from a lack of foreknowledge (i.e., do not watch the trailer if you haven’t already, even though I’ve half ruined the twist already).

The downside is that the filmmakers don’t give themselves a lot of runway following the twist. Once the rubber hits the road, there is plenty of runtime left to play with, but only a few clever games are played. Over time, you can feel the burden of the hit-or-miss antics. The overlong climactic showdown, in particular, loses its shine quickly. The film thus ends on a low note. But there are more than enough funny bits along the way to elevate this material, however slightly.

Importantly, the cast is all game and give delightful performances across the board. Straddled with the most straight-laced character, Barrera has the least to do. But Kathryn Newton, Dan Stevens, Angus Cloud, and Kevin Durand (also good in this year’s The Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes) are perfectly ham-fisted.

Abigail: B-

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As always, thanks for reading!

—Alex Brannan (Letterboxd, Facebook)