It used to be in Hong Kong that horror films would only come to our cinemas three times a year – in January (when the distributors are cleaning out their catalogues), August (Ghost Month) and October (Hallowe’en). These days, however, these films can show up anytime of the year. That’s not a bad thing as long as the films are enjoyable and, happily, that’s the case with ABIGAIL by co-directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (READY OR NOT; SCREAM; SCREAM VI).

In this bloodfest, a group of six men and women kidnaps the young, ballerina daughter of a powerful man, intending to cash in on a US$50 million ransom that will be extorted from the man. They retreat to an isolated mansion where they meet their handler, Lambert (Giancarlo Esposito, TV’s BETTER CALL SAUL and BREAKING BAD), who tells them to sit tight with the child overnight. However, the group soon learns that they’re locked inside the house and Abigail is no ordinary little girl.

ABIGAIL is just so much fun. While the story includes many tropes of the horror/thriller genre, such as dimly lit rooms that no one seems bothered about entering, spotty voice communications connections throughout the house and secret passages, it soars – much like Abigail (Alisha Weir, MATILDA THE MUSICAL) does – once the blood starts flowing. The rogues’ gallery is stock too, although writers Stephen Shields and Guy Busick give the actors plenty to work with. Both the audience and the characters themselves don’t know much about them, though the group’s de facto leader, Joey (Melissa Barrera, SCREAM; SCREAM VI), sizes everyone up very quickly. There’s discipliner Frank (Dan Stevens (GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE; I’M YOUR MAN), systems hacker Sammy (Kathryn Newton, ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA; LADY BIRD), muscle guy Peter (Kevin Durand, NOAH), tactical guy Rickles (William Catlett) and van driver Dean (Angus Cloud, TV’s EUPHORIA). Fortunately, once the characters are all known to us and each other, it doesn’t take long for the mayhem to begin… and it does in spectacularly gory fashion as one-by-one their numbers get reduced. The writers wisely throw in a few hilarious twists and turns along the way that keep the audience both amused and guessing how the story will play out.

Both Stevens and young Weir are absolutely brilliant here – him for his chameleon-like ability to do accents and handle drama, comedy, now campy horror so adeptly, and her for taking on her role of what Sammy hilariously calls a “vampire ballerina” with such relish. Weir can also be seen in WICKED LITTLE LETTERS, which has already been released in the UK and is expected to come here later in the year.

ABIGAIL opens in Hong Kong today (April 18th) and around the world tomorrow. For fans of the horror/thriller genre, this is great fun.

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