Abigail: Bloody Ending, Why the Scene Was Trimmed Down

Bernard Walsh/Universal Pictures

The vampire thriller Abigail originated as modern-day update of the classic horror film Dracula’s Daughter.

Grade: B- (*** out of *****)

But by the time the filmmaking trio–producer Chad Villella and directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett–began production on Abigail in Ireland in the spring of 2023, the movie had no connection to the 1936 Universal picture.

“Dracula’s Daughter” follows the grown Countess Marya Zaleska (Gloria Holden) as she tries — and fails — to rid herself of her vampirism following Dracula’s death.

In Abigail, by sharp contrast, the titular vampire is a girl, kidnapped by a team of mercenaries. The act is led by the hot-headed Frank (Dan Stevens) and self-possessed Joey (Melissa Barrera) under the false impression that she’s the helpless daughter of a tycoon who will pay their ransom to get her back.

Eventually, Abigail (Alisha Weir) reveals that her father is Kristof Lazar, an infamous crime lord with seeming infinite resources who is more likely to hunt down and kill the mercenaries than pay the ransom. Just when the mercs think their luck couldn’t get any worse, they discover that Abigail is actually a vampire who has tricked them into “kidnapping” her so she can kill them all for their various affronts to Lazar.

While the film leaves the implication that Lazar is a modern day moniker for Dracula, the name of the Transylvanian blood sucker is never spoken in the movie — up to and including when Lazar appears in the final scene of the film, played in a cameo by Matthew Goode.

Abigail Ending Explained

After the kidnappers are picked off one by one, we learn that it was Abigail who arranged her own kidnapping and that she’s done it many times before.

Not only that, but Lambert (Esposito), who Frank (Stevens) and Joey (Barrera) believed they’d been hired by, is actually working for the ageless vampire child, bringing her food to play with in the guise of desperate criminals who think they’re there to kidnap her. It’s a way for Abigail to stay entertained after her gangster father and feared crime boss Kristof Lazar (Matthew Goode) abandoned her to the strange old house where we find her, Wilhelm Manor.

Looking every bit like a modern Dracula, Matthew Goode sweeps into Wilhelm Manor ready to gobble Joey up.

With no way out, the pair are shocked by the appearance of a secret doorway that leads them to Lambert, who’s been turned by Abigail and has a deal for Frank.

If he joins Lambert and gets turned, the pair can kill Abigail and her crime boss daddy, and take over the whole business for themselves.

Frank agrees, but immediately drains Lambert for setting him up in the first place. Soon he’s chasing down Joey and Abigail and the pair have to team up, eventually killing Frank and coming to uneasy truce. Bonding over their extremely weird night together, the pair awkwardly say goodbye when…

Just as Joey walks out the door, who should appear than Goode’s much-worried-about Kristof Lazar. Looking like a modern Dracula, the patriarch sweeps into Wilhelm Manor ready to gobble Joey up, but his daughter begs him to show mercy and reveals that her would-be kidnapper actually saved her life.

Luckily, her old dad listens and Joey is able to drive off into the night to hopefully reconnect with her son and start a new life.

If we get a sequel it’s easy to imagine how Dracula or Abigail might call on Joey again in the future…

Clearly, Radio Silence tries–and often succeeds-to balance campy humor and bloody gore.

The movie benefits from the striking performance of Alisha Weir as Matilda, who goes impressively off the deep end.

Abigail: Vampire Thriller, Starring Alisha Weir (Real Discovery)

Abigail: Bloody Ending, Why the Scene Was Trimmed Down

Abigail Ending Explained

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