--- title: "Abigail: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/abigail/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/abigail" critics_score: 68 critics_reviews: 20 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Abigail (2024): what the critics said Critics' score 68 from 20 reviews: 13 positive, 4 mixed, 3 negative. Most critics have a good time with Abigail, and they agree on why. The praise clusters around Alisha Weir, whose turn as the vampire ballerina is called out in nearly every review as the film’s chief asset, and around the splatter itself: the mansion set pieces, the escalating gore and the jokes that come with it. Dan Stevens and the wider ensemble draw regular credit. The reservations are just as consistent. Several reviews find the story thin and the characters undernourished, and more than one notes that the trailer gives away the central twist, which leaves the first act dragging for anyone who has seen it. Polygon and Collider both single out Melissa Barrera as the weak link. The spread is wide. Variety finds the whole thing excessive and monotonous, The Guardian says the plotting collapses in the second half, and IndieWire thinks the heist framing leaves it short on impact and originality. ## The AV Club — Luke Y. Thompson Rating A-. 19 April 2024. The film is a frequently funny dance of death and a better, gorier effort from Radio Silence than expected, with strong highlights in Alisha Weir’s performance and the creepy mansion setting. It invests viewers in the story through absurdity, tension, and gore that feels viscerally funny. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/abigail-movie-review-1851418406) ## Empire — Kim Newman Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 18 April 2024. The critic finds it a wickedly enjoyable thrill ride with gruesome splatstick comedy and several surprises once the vampire premise kicks in. They single out the fresh spin on the kidnapping-gone-wrong story and the strong ensemble cast for praise. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/abigail/) ## Radio Times — Jeremy Aspinall Rating 4/5. 19 April 2024. The critic describes a fizzing, fang-in-cheek horror yarn with wild turns, gruesome twists and killer lines. It praises the knowing references to horror lore and juicy performances from the ensemble cast. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-d5snla/abigail/) ## The Telegraph — Tim Robey Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 18 April 2024. The critic calls it a gloriously gory romp and easily the directors' best since Ready or Not, praising the escalating splatter, funny dialogue, and especially Alisha Weir's ferocious performance as the vampiric child. They highlight the fun conceit and commitment to horror-comedy elements. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/abigail-review-dracula/) ## Time Out — Sophie Monks Kaufman Rating 4/5. 18 April 2024. The critic calls it a riotous, gory horror-comedy that creates a crossover 'vampire ballet' genre. It singles out the witty editing, tonal assurance, and strong performances from Melissa Barrera and Dan Stevens for praise. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/abigail-2024) ## Slant Magazine — Justin Clark Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 18 April 2024. The horror-comedy is sharp in more ways than one, with an over-the-top mean streak made effective by strong character groundwork and memorable violent set pieces. Weir delivers an impressive triple-act performance as the lead, though the climactic fight is busy and convoluted. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/abigail-review-dan-stevens/) ## Los Angeles Times — Katie Walsh Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 16 April 2024. The critic views “Abigail” as a fun, violent horror-comedy in the style of Radio Silence's previous work like “Ready or Not,” praising its energetic style and strong female lead while noting it can be overly flippant and protracted. She singles out Alisha Weir's performance as the vampire ballerina for being riveting and funny. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2024-04-16/abigail-review-horror-melissa-barrera-radio-silence-vampire) ## Total Film Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 16 April 2024. The critic calls it a blood-bomb of fun with satisfyingly volcanic splatter and strong casting, especially Alisha Weir, but notes it needs more narrative meat. They single out the suspenseful mansion sequences and Weir’s sly-to-savage performance for praise while complaining about predictable twists and undernourished story. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/abigail-review/) ## Little White Lies — Anton Bitel Rating 3/3/3. 18 April 2024. The critic finds the film smart bloody fun but notes that the trailer has defanged its central twist. It praises the inventive, nasty evil-kid romp with grotesque set pieces and knowing references to prior Radio Silence films. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/abigail) ## Screen Daily Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 18 April 2024. The critic notes crowd-pleasing energy in the gruesome, slyly funny mix of genres but finds an overly complicated story and underwhelming characters drain some life from the proceedings. It singles out the sight of the child chasing adults as consistently amusing while concluding it has more gore than brains. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/abigail-review/5192513.article) ## Vulture Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 19 April 2024. The critic notes that knowing the premise spoils the reveal but finds the film delivers cheap thrills through hilarious gore and some twisted playfulness, though it lacks depth in characters and suspense. Weir’s balletic savagery is highlighted positively amid the shlock. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/movie-review-abigail-is-a-cheap-thrill-vampire-flick.html) ## IndieWire — Alison Foreman Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 7 April 2024. Festival review. The review argues that the vampire ballerina film from Radio Silence fails to bite, presenting a blood-sucking saga told as a heist film that lacks sufficient impact or originality. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/abigail-review-1234971888/) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 18 April 2024. The critic finds some low-stakes pleasure in the first half of this gory horror-comedy but says the plotting falls apart disastrously in the second half. They single out the strong direction and committed cast for praise amid the excess of blood and lack of substance. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/apr/18/abigail-movie-review-dracula-daughter) ## Variety — Owen Gleiberman Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 17 April 2024. The critic finds the film a relentlessly excessive and monotonous mashup of genres, criticizing its heavy-handed action and lack of subtlety compared to classic vampire films, though acknowledging some performances. He singles out the over-the-top violence and bickering characters as detracting from engagement. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2024/film/reviews/abigail-review-1235974342/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Frank Scheck 18 April 2024. The critic finds the film wildly entertaining for most of its running time as a breathlessly paced horror-comedy with exuberant gore and black humor, though it becomes overly burdened with baroque narrative flourishes later. Weir’s mesmerizing, frightening, and sardonically funny performance as the pint-sized bloodsucker is singled out for praise. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/abigail-review-dan-stevens-1235875914/) ## /Film — BJ Colangelo Rating 10/10. 7 April 2024. Festival review. The critic calls it a perfect horror movie and one of the best of 2024, highlighting the pitch-perfect ensemble, humor, twists, blood, action, and transcendent child performance. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/1556898/abigail-review-ballerina-vampire-bloodbath-perfect-horror-movie/) ## Deadline — Pete Hammond Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 18 April 2024. The critic finds Abigail a lot of fun as a cheeky vampire flick blending humor and horror effectively. Directors Radio Silence inject flair into the proceedings with strong performances and a sensational score. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2024/04/abigail-review-melissa-barrera-dan-stevens-battle-draculas-child-vampire-flick-1235889187/) ## Den of Geek — Rosie Fletcher Rating 4/5. 9 April 2024. The critic calls it a joyful gorefest and heist horror mashup that improves on Ready or Not, with a twisty plot, ramping shocks and gore, plenty of laughs from the ensemble, and a standout turn from Alisha Weir as the vampire ballerina. A minor complaint is some unnecessary parenting melodrama amid the fun. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/abigail-review-explosive-horror-thats-buckets-of-fun/) ## Polygon — Austen Goslin Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 18 April 2024. The critic enjoys the film's shift into a frenetic horror-comedy with strong humor from most of the cast, effective tension and gore in the mansion setting, and Alisha Weir's standout turn as the vampire, though notes Melissa Barrera's underpowered performance. [Read the review](https://www.polygon.com/reviews/24133463/abigail-review-horror-comedy-vampires-scream/) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 18 April 2024. The film is a rare horror comedy that is equally frightening and funny, with sharp humor, gory set pieces, and strong ensemble work led by Alisha Weir. It suffers from the twist being spoiled early in marketing, making the first act drag for those who know what's coming. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/abigail-movie-review-melissa-barrera/) ## Collider — Maggie Boccella Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 8 April 2024. Festival review. The critic finds the film at its best in its gory action sequences and the unhinged performances from Dan Stevens and Alisha Weir, but criticizes Melissa Barrera's flat delivery and the predictable, exposition-heavy script. [Read the review](https://collider.com/abigail-review/) ## Film Stories — Simon Brew 18 April 2024. The critic found the film tremendous fun after seeing it without prior knowledge of its twists. They praise the committed ensemble cast, especially Alisha Weir, and the directors' handling of the material as an upgrade on their recent Scream films. [Read the review](https://filmstories.co.uk/reviews/abigail-review-a-bloody-good-film-if-youve-not-seen-the-trailer/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/abigail.md