First Impressions: Abigail

So, Number 1 son and I went to see the new big screen vampire release, Abigail. This is from Universal and the opening (and recurring) musical theme in the film is Swan Lake. This, of course, ties the film back to Dracula and I have seen press suggesting this is either a remake of or connected to Dracula’s Daughter. Let me scotch that right now, from its narrative it is not in any way, shape or form related to the 1936 film. Indeed, despite the musical call back, there is nothing in this to suggest that the paternal vampire (for there is a vampire dad (Matthew Goode, A Discovery of Witches) and daughter dynamic here) is Dracula. He is referred to by another name and suggests he has been known by many, but that’s the top and bottom.

the crew

Indeed, the film has a lot more in common – in its basic strokes – with the film Blood Trap. In both films a crew of criminals are gathered to kidnap the daughter of a crime boss and become trapped in a mansion where the daughter is revealed as a vampire. There are differences, of course, the daughter is Abigail (Alisha Weir) in this and she is a child (albeit a notably long-lived child she is not the adult daughter from the earlier film) and the crew take her to a mansion (unbeknownst to them belonging to the crime boss) rather than being trapped in the mansion they sought to kidnap her from as per Blood Trap.

Alisha Weir as Abigail

Characters and plotting are different, of course, and the bottom line of this flick is it is great fun. As for lore, the vampires are incredibly strong, dexterous (especially Abigail who is a ballerina) and she displays the ability to fly. Abigail also displays the ability to puppet control someone she has bitten from a distance. There is a commentary about the age of the vampire being connected to the powers. A head shot doesn’t phase her and death comes about through staking, one vampire draining another and exposure to sunlight. The deaths are wonderfully gory with the vampire exploding across the room, and anything in the way, with bucket loads of blood and viscera.

I’ll revisit Abigail with a review and proper synopsis once it hits home purchase but it is one I’d say is worth catching at the flicks.

The imdb page is here.