Movie Review

Horror film Abigail pairs camp and suspense but with limited success

Melissa Barrera and Dan Stevens in Abigail

Photo by Bernard Walsh/Universal Pictures

Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett have established themselves as notable horror filmmakers over the past decade, rising to the point that they were tapped to helm the last two Scream films. Following the so-so response to Scream VI, they’ve now gone back to original storytelling with the new film, Abigail.

A group of six criminals – given the Rat Pack nicknames of Joey (Melissa Barrera), Frank (Dan Stevens), Sammy (Kathryn Newton), Peter (Kevin Durand), Rickles (William Catlett), and Dean (the late Angus Cloud) – have carried out a job to kidnap a young girl, Abigail (Alisha Weir), under orders from their boss, Lambert (Giancarlo Esposito). They take her to a remote mansion, where they are to wait for 24 hours while Lambert secures a ransom from Abigail’s rich father.

What happens during that long day is better if it goes unspoiled (although the trailer straight up gives it away), but suffice it to say that the relatively simple job the group thought they signed up for turns out to be much more difficult. Locked in the house, on constant alert for an unexpected threat, and dealing with a team that is collectively not that intelligent, they must somehow find a way to survive.

Written by Stephen Shields and Guy Busick, the film is full of many weird decisions, starting with its tone. What at first seems like it’s going to be a tense thriller turns into a hybrid of camp and suspense, a combination that is tough to pair and doesn’t work well here. The filmmakers seem to want to have the film be both scary and funny, depending on the situation, but they fail to find the right balance, and so it winds up being neither.

That’s not to say that you won’t laugh while watching it, as there are times that it gets so ridiculous that laughter is the only possible response, but perhaps not in the way Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett had intended. Dumb characters repeatedly fail to listen to others, throwing themselves in harm’s way for, I guess, the sake of a kill. Abigail, a budding ballerina, is shown striking ballet poses in increasingly absurd situations, scenes that would be legitimately hilarious if they weren’t also supposed to be horrifying for the characters.

The filmmakers don’t have to be subtle in a film like this, but the overly expository script and bad dialogue don’t help with the overall quality. Two separate scenes feature two different characters revealing details about the group, as if once wasn’t enough, and painful one-liners and other groan-worthy lines litter the landscape. It would be one thing if the film’s main purpose was to be a comedy, but since it clearly isn’t, those parts fall flat.

Barrera, Stevens, and Newton have each made names for themselves in recent years, but they have varying degrees of success here. Scream star Barrera is given the choice role, so she comes off the best. Durand and Cloud each play characters with lower-than-average intelligence, a choice that seems like overkill initially and doesn’t become better as the film goes along. Esposito coasts on his reputation, not that his character has much to do anyway.

There are moments in Abigail where you can tell that Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett still have talent and could have shown it more if they had chosen other paths in the film. Alas, they did not, as so we’re left with a movie that only commits halfway to both of its two options, succeeding at neither.

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Abigail is now playing in theaters.

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weekend event planner

These are the top 15 things to do in Houston this weekend

Photo by Julian Buchan

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This weekend, the Houston Cinema Arts Festival will wind down with screenings at such venues as the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Rice Cinema, and The DeLUXE Theater. The DeLUXE will also be present the Houston Comedy Film Festival, a two-day celebration of funny features and shorts. The fest will also have a performance by a live jazz band, aerial performers, and networking opportunities.

Fall festival season rolls on with everything from the Bayou City Art Festival to the Korean Festival Houston and opening weekend of the Texas Renaissance Festival. But let’s be honest: a lot of ladies will be at Reliant Stadium, hoping this man will feed them cherries.

Thursday, October 8

The Garden Club of Houston presents Bulb and Plant Mart
The Garden Club of Houston's Bulb & Plant Mart offers top-quality bulbs from the best growers around the United States and abroad. Additional special exhibits will include the live butterfly tent from The Houston Museum of Natural Science Cockrell Butterfly Center. Proceeds from the three-day event are used for the purposes of stimulating the interest in and knowledge of gardening, enhancing the beauty of our community, and protecting and restoring our fragile ecosystem. 5 pm (9 am Friday and Saturday).

Photo by Julian Buchan

Chris Brown and Usher in concert.

The University of Houston Center for Mexican American and Latino/a Studies (CMALS) and the Center for Public History presents Chulas Fronteras 50th Anniversary Film Screening/Panel
The University of Houston Center for Mexican American and Latino/a Studies and the Center for Public History invite the community to celebrate Les Blank’s landmark 1976 documentary Chulas Fronteras, which explores the rich traditions and cultural history of Tex-Mex music. The evening will include Tex-Mex music historical footage compiled by film curator Peter Lucas; a post-screening panel; and an after-party at Winnie’s, featuring DJ sets from Santos Sounds, Mexico City’s Sabotage Media, and Austin’s Trucha Soul. 6 pm.

My Hero Academia in Concert
The concert brings the anime’s 10-year, eight-season journey to life on stage. Accompanied by a 15-piece live band performing Yuki Hayashi’s score synced with visuals of people's favorite scenes, every note captures the triumph, heartbreak, and courage of Class 1-A, creating an immersive concert experience for fans new and old alike. 7:30 pm.

Friday, October 9

Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park 2026
An outdoor gallery will take over Memorial Park this weekend, offering patrons the opportunity to meet artists, view original works, and purchase paintings, prints, jewelry, sculptures, functional art, and more. The three-day festival will feature live entertainment stages, a food truck park, and beverage stations throughout the festival. You and others can stroll around Houston’s iconic Memorial Park while enjoying the festival’s wine and craft beer garden. 10 am. (10 am Saturday and Sunday).

Fielding’s Steak presents Old Fashioned Flight
Fielding’s Steak is raising a glass to one of America’s most iconic cocktails with the launch of a limited-edition Old Fashioned Flight, in celebration of Old Fashioned Week. Created as a tasting experience, the specialty flight features four unique interpretations of the classic Old Fashioned, each highlighting a different flavor profile while keeping bourbon and rye at the heart of the cocktail. Through Saturday, October 18. 11:30 am (11 am Saturday and Sunday).

Chris Brown and Usher in concert
R&B singers Chris Brown and Usher will be in Houston for two nights, as part of their The R&B Tour – and you know it’s going to be a problem. Their knack for inviting female audience members on stage for some simulated lasciviousness – which has obviously made some boyfriends and husbands a bit perturbed – has even made Saturday Night Live poke fun at it. Anyway, Chris Brown is touring in support of his new album, Brown. Usher has released nine albums in his career, most recently Coming Home in 2024. 7 pm.

St. Luke's United Methodist Church presents Roger Sayer: Interstellar 10
St. Luke's United Methodist Church and the Houston chapter of the American Guild of Organists will present internationally acclaimed organist Roger Sayer (who performed on the soundtrack of Christopher Nolan's 2014 film Interstellar) in concert, as part of his Interstellar 10 tour. The event coincides with World Space Week, making Houston's "Space City" an ideal setting for an evening inspired by one of the most beloved science fiction films of the modern era. 7 pm.

Saturday, October 10

Fluff Bake Bar Saturday Morning Specials x EJ Miller
Rebecca Masson of Fluff Bake Bar welcomes executive chef EJ Miller of Chardon for a special edition of her recurring Saturday morning specials. The collaboration will showcase a French-inspired bakery lineup, bringing together Miller’s culinary perspective with Masson’s signature approach to baking. Folks with a sweet tooth can stop by for a selection of freshly baked treats and pastries, with the menu to be announced on Fluff's Instagram. 10 am.

Korean Festival Houston
Korean Festival Houston celebrates the best of Korean food, music, performing arts, and culture. The fest welcomes a broad and vibrant community of Houstonians, including foodies, K-Pop fans, families, and anyone eager to experience Korean culture. Headliners Big Ocean, the first K-Pop group with hard-of-hearing members, will perform at 7 pm on Saturday. Sensory-friendly hours, held on Sunday from 11 am to 1 pm, will offer a quieter, more relaxed festival experience. 10 am (11 am Sunday).

The Secret Group presents Land of the Neon Sun Houston Music Community Learning Event and Album Release Party
The Suffers frontwoman Kam Franklin has a heavy schedule this weekend. Along with doing several shows at various coffeehouses in the city, she’ll also have an album release party for her solo debut, Land of the Neon Sun, as well as a free learning event for and by the local music community. The learning event will be early in the day, complete with an industry panel and a stripped-down set from Franklin. Later that evening, Franklin will be back with her band and some special guests to perform songs from the album. 5 and 10 pm.

37th Annual Accordion Kings & Queens Concert
Presented by Texas Folklife, the annual concert spotlights the accordion’s powerful role across Texas cultural communities and the many styles it brings to the stage: polka, conjunto, zydeco, Cajun, Tejano, swing, and more. The 37th annual concert will feature headliner Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. and The Zydeco Twisters. Rooted in a celebrated Louisiana family tradition, the band delivers dance-floor zydeco with driving rhythms and crowd-ready energy. 7 pm.

Montrose Grocer presents Danse Macabre
The hip Montrose wine bar and shop will be joined by guest sommeliers Christina (Theodore Rex, Nancy's Hustle) and Mark Sayre (March, Milton's) for an evening of French wine and music. Look for an all-vinyl soundtrack of Cold Wave and Industrial tunes paired with by-the-glass wines priced at $20 or less. 9 pm.

Sunday, October 11

Texas Renaissance Festival
The Texas Renaissance Festival will kick off its 52nd season of chivalry, merriment, and magical experiences this weekend. New acts for the 2026 season include Paladin, the Errant Fool, the wandering jester who can be found throughout the festival; Sons of Olympus, where two brothers bring the gods and goddesses to life through aerial performance, acrobatics, fire, and death-defying stunts; and Lester Jesterson,the "best-er jester" at the Mockingbird Music Gazebo. Through Sunday, November 29. 9 am. (9 am Saturday).

Filipino American History Month Festival
The annual event celebrates Filipino American culture, heritage, and community connection. The day will include a culinary demonstration; a breaking and hip-hop showcase by B-Girl Eden and District Arts; performances by Filipino American rapper NUMP, American Idol contestant Cameron Concepcion, DJ Seduction & Kleancutt of the Krackernuttz, and Houston-based hip-hop artist Elow the Great; and more. Noon.

Candlelight presents Classic Rock on Strings and The Best of Hans Zimmer
Candlelight will present two live string-quartet concerts at Space Center Houston, one day after World Space Week concludes. The evening pairs Classic Rock on Strings with The Best of Hans Zimmer. Surrounded by thousands of candles, the performances will bring familiar rock anthems and cinematic scores to a venue closely connected to Houston’s role in human spaceflight. 6:30 and 8:45 pm.

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