Abigail - A Little Girl With Bite

Making a good horror movie these days seems difficult. Plots are contrived and given nearly 100 years of it, most have been done before. A majority seem to lean on jump scares that rely more on sound than mood. Everything's all quiet then BAAM!!!

They work more to startle you than actually scare you. So, when I go see a horror movie I expect these tropes and just try to keep the expectations low and just try to enjoy the story.

While the scares were minimal, Abigail was a fun time.

The plot centers around a group of people who kidnap a 12-year-old ballerina in hopes of a big score. Those hopes are dashed when its revealed the young girl is in fact...a vampire.

I'm a lifelong fan of the supernatural, so I was curious on what their take on the vampire lore would be. Unlike some, crosses won't hurt them. The typical stakes and sunlight however, remain the same. And taking a page out of the "True Blood" handbook, their deaths are quite messy. The blood budget was high on this one.

The movie was a unique character study. Each in the group had personality and the ones you REALLY wanted to see die, thankfully did. Because it started with a kidnapping, or heist so to speak, each had a job: The driver, the tech, the muscle, the leader, and even in a sense, the heart.

Melissa Barrera (from the recent Scream films) is to be the caretaker of the little girl over the 24 hours they'd be with her. She's a mom, but with a past. She's flawed and has secrets. Every member has a connected secret, which is why they were chosen for the job.

It's a slow burn at the start, but once Abigail comes out to play there are fun and exciting scenes that play out. The large creepy mansion with hidden halls and secrets is a wonderful backdrop to the story. Honestly, I kinda want a library like that one. Large with all the classics and beautiful architecture and sunroof.

The story overall was fun, but just okay. Enjoyable for at least one watch, more if you love a fun vampire movie. But if you find yourself trapped in a mansion with a creepy ballerina vampire...run, hide, and pray you're quick enough to defeat her or that Buffy and the Winchesters are around.

Score: 3/5