The Reel Review
A group of criminals get more than they bargained for when they discover that the 12-year-old ballerina they just kidnapped is a bloodthirsty vampire – the daughter of a powerful underworld figure. Melissa Barrera (Scream), Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey), Kathryn Newton and Alicia Weir star in this loose remake of 1936’s Dracula’s Daughter.
Wow. Writer/directors Matt Bettinelli Olpin and Tyler Gillett have truly outdone their 2019 horror hit Ready or Not, crafting an exceptionally gory, blood-drenched tale. Weir (Wicked Little Letters, Matilda the Musical) is the phenomenal standout as the terrifying ballerina vampire.
Solid practical effects and just the right amount of campy humor make up for the somewhat predictable story and Dan Stevens’ horrific New York accent. But after all the romanticized portraits of vampires in shows like True Blood, Interview with the Vampire and the Twilight movies, it is nice to see the vampire genre pirouette back to its more vicious, sinister roots.
REEL FACTS
• Abigail was Angus Cloud’s (Euphoria) final role before his death in July 2023 at the age of 25 by accidental drug overdose – a mix of fentanyl, cocaine, meth and benzodiazepine.
• Alisha Weir did nearly all of her own stunts in the film, including the scene where she runs along the stair banner with the aid of a harness and wires. The stunt coordinator says Weir was better at the stunts than her stunt doubles.
• Abigail co-stars Dan Stevens and Matthew Goode each played the subsequent husbands of Lady Mary in Downton Abbey.
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