Abigail's enticing ingredients eventually run thin. Its campy premise is legitimized by patient reveals and strong setup. The characters are motivated, differentiated, and dynamic. All are flawed, but the key protagonists are sympathetic. Its acting solidifies sincerity through chemistry, charisma, tension, and intensity. Still, this relatability functions as a support for a repetitive plot, which lacks the driving force of specific themes. Without compelling messages, the story hits a glass ceiling. There's sporadically witty dialogue, playful rules, stakes, and turning points. However, it's all centered around familiar slasher formulas. Consequently, Abigail is a literary toss-up.
Technically, Abigail balances horror and comedy tones with mild potency. The primarily practical effects include stunts, makeup, wires, prosthetics, and ample blood. Its imagery provides murky lighting, geography, and color but decent angles, depth, and motion. The sound uses stings, distortions, violence, layering, emphasis, and muffling. Its editing adds intercuts, timing, sputtering momentum, and a slightly bloated climax. The music only truly elevates the material with one recurring ballet song. Its production design offers a gothic setting and supernatural touches. The cast is full of up-and-comers but no current stars. Ultimately, Abigail is stable but fleeting.
Writing: 5/10
Direction: 6/10
Cinematography: 6/10
Acting: 7/10
Editing: 6/10
Sound: 8/10
Score/Soundtrack: 7/10
Production Design: 7/10
Casting: 7/10
Effects: 8/10
Overall Score: 6.7/10