Bullying has been a focal point of horror films for decades. Carrie, The Craft, and countless other films have featured bullies and their victims. The Dark Star Pictures vehicle Abigail takes this familiar trope and creates a bloody good time with it.
The titular Abigail (Ava Cantrell) and her mother Eve (Hermione Lynch) move to a small town in Alabama in 1976. The filmmakers go almost over the top to let the audience know how small this town is: there’s only one school, and it seems everyone lives in run-down trailers.
We soon meet Abigail’s neighbor Lucas (Tren Reed-Brown). Lucas is constantly picked on, not only by his classmates but also by his mother Donna (Karimah Westbrook). The two quickly become friends. But when two of Lucas’s bullies try picking on him, Abigail becomes Lucas’s protector and fights them off.
The relationship between Abigail and Lucas drives most of the story, yet you really don’t get a concrete idea of what that relationship is. Are they just friends? Are they lovers? But you don’t really have enough time to parse any of that before you see them deal with the bullies.
The violence they inflict on their tormentors is also incredibly over-the-top (director Melissa Vitello was clearly a fan of 70s exploitation), but if you’re a horror enthusiast you won’t be bothered by it. As the violence in the town escalates, so does the complexity of the relationship between Lucas and Abigail. We also get glimpses into Abigail’s past which help explain her current behavior. The relationship she has with her mother Eve tells only part of the tale. However, the relationship between Abigail and the outcast-turned-fighter Lucas drives most of the film.
What type of library patrons would be interested in Abigail?
This film is recommended for library patrons who are fans of horror or enjoy coming-of-age stories. Those who aren't typically drawn to these genres may find the gore and violence a bit unsettling.