Abigail
After a group of criminals kidnap the ballerina daughter of a powerful underworld figure, they retreat to an isolated mansion, unaware that they're locked inside with no normal little girl.
Working with a respectable budget of $28.0M, the film achieved a modest success with $43.0M in global revenue (+54% profit margin).
3 wins & 21 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Joey
Abigail
Frank
Dean
Rickles
Sammy
Peter
Lambert
Main Cast & Characters
Joey
Played by Melissa Barrera
A former combat medic and recovering addict who joins the kidnapping crew for money to regain custody of her son. She becomes the de facto protagonist when she realizes they've abducted a vampire.
Abigail
Played by Alisha Weir
A seemingly innocent 12-year-old ballerina who is revealed to be a centuries-old vampire. The daughter of a powerful crime lord, she methodically hunts down her captors with sadistic glee.
Frank
Played by Dan Stevens
The mastermind who organized the kidnapping crew. A calculating former cop who underestimates the danger they've walked into.
Dean
Played by Angus Cloud
A foul-mouthed, impulsive wheelman with a volatile personality. He frequently clashes with other crew members and is quick to panic under pressure.
Rickles
Played by William Catlett
A seasoned ex-military sniper who serves as the crew's muscle. Stoic and professional, he follows orders without question until the situation spirals out of control.
Sammy
Played by Kathryn Newton
A charming and manipulative con artist who uses his people skills to manage conflicts within the group. He hides a ruthless self-preservation instinct beneath his friendly exterior.
Peter
Played by Kevin Durand
A skilled hacker recruited for his technical abilities. Nervous and out of his element in violent situations, he represents the audience's perspective on the escalating horror.
Lambert
Played by Matthew Goode
Kristof Lazar's right-hand man who facilitates the ransom operation. He serves as the liaison between the crew and Abigail's father.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Joey, a former Army medic turned criminal, arrives at a desolate warehouse for a mysterious job. The crew of mercenaries—Frank, Rickles, Sammy, Peter, and Dean—meet for the first time, establishing their gritty, desperate world of crime-for-hire.. Of particular interest, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 11 minutes when The team arrives at the isolated mansion where they must hold Abigail for 24 hours. Lambert locks them in, revealing they cannot leave until the ransom is paid. The crew realizes they're trapped with their captive in a creepy, Gothic estate.. At 9% through the film, this Disruption arrives earlier than typical, accelerating the narrative momentum. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 24 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 20% of the runtime. This demonstrates the protagonist's commitment to Dean goes missing during his guard shift. The crew finds his mutilated body, drained of blood. They realize they're not the hunters—they're the prey. Frank decides they must find Dean's killer and escape the mansion, but the doors and windows are impenetrable., moving from reaction to action.
At 49 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 41% of the runtime—significantly early, compressing the first half. The analysis reveals that this crucial beat The crew manages to trap Abigail in a locked room using religious artifacts and UV lights. False victory—they believe they've contained the threat and can survive until dawn. They celebrate briefly, but the stakes have been raised: Abigail warns them that Lambert is also a vampire, and dawn won't save them., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 75 minutes (62% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Frank is killed by Abigail in a devastating sequence. Joey is alone, her only remaining ally dead. She discovers Lambert has been manipulating everything from the beginning—there is no ransom, no escape plan. Joey faces the whiff of death: her hope dies, and she must confront her deepest fear of failing to protect someone, just as she failed her own daughter., shows the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 79 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 66% of the runtime. Joey realizes the truth: Abigail is trapped too, enslaved by her father Kristof. The synthesis—Joey can save both herself and Abigail by destroying Kristof, breaking the vampiric hold. She discovers Kristof is arriving at dawn and formulates a plan to use Abigail against him. Joey chooses redemption over survival., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Abigail's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs proven narrative structure principles that track dramatic progression. By mapping Abigail against these established plot points, we can identify how the filmmaker utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Abigail within the action genre.
Comparative Analysis
Additional action films include The Bad Guys, Lake Placid and Zoom.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Joey, a former Army medic turned criminal, arrives at a desolate warehouse for a mysterious job. The crew of mercenaries—Frank, Rickles, Sammy, Peter, and Dean—meet for the first time, establishing their gritty, desperate world of crime-for-hire.
Theme
Lambert, their handler, briefs the team on the kidnapping job: "Take the girl, hold her for 24 hours, get paid." Frank questions the morality, but Lambert dismisses it: "Don't think. Just do the job." The theme of moral compromise versus self-preservation is stated.
Worldbuilding
The crew prepares and executes the kidnapping of 12-year-old Abigail from her wealthy father's mansion. We learn each character's role and personality: Frank the leader, Joey the medic with a conscience, Rickles the tech guy, Sammy the driver, Peter the enforcer, Dean the sniper. They successfully extract Abigail and transport her to a remote estate.
Disruption
The team arrives at the isolated mansion where they must hold Abigail for 24 hours. Lambert locks them in, revealing they cannot leave until the ransom is paid. The crew realizes they're trapped with their captive in a creepy, Gothic estate.
Resistance
The crew settles into the mansion, establishing guard shifts and protocols. Joey bonds with Abigail, who seems unusually calm and knowing. Tensions rise between crew members as they debate the ethics of kidnapping a child. Strange occurrences begin: locked doors, missing supplies, eerie sounds. Joey discovers Abigail knows more than she should about each of them.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Dean goes missing during his guard shift. The crew finds his mutilated body, drained of blood. They realize they're not the hunters—they're the prey. Frank decides they must find Dean's killer and escape the mansion, but the doors and windows are impenetrable.
Mirror World
Joey confronts Abigail directly, and the girl reveals the truth: she's a centuries-old vampire, and her "father" is Kristof Lazaar, a legendary vampire lord. The crew wasn't hired to kidnap her—they were delivered to her as food. Abigail becomes Joey's dark mirror, representing what happens when you abandon your humanity.
Premise
The crew fights for survival against Abigail. They research vampire lore, craft makeshift weapons, and attempt various escape plans. Rickles is killed brutally. The group fractures as paranoia sets in—Abigail plays mind games, exploiting their secrets and fears. Peter reveals he's a dirty cop. Sammy's addiction is exposed. Joey's past as a negligent mother surfaces. The "fun and games" of a vampire survival thriller unfolds with escalating violence.
Midpoint
The crew manages to trap Abigail in a locked room using religious artifacts and UV lights. False victory—they believe they've contained the threat and can survive until dawn. They celebrate briefly, but the stakes have been raised: Abigail warns them that Lambert is also a vampire, and dawn won't save them.
Opposition
Abigail escapes her containment. Lambert arrives and reveals the true plan: the crew members are being tested as potential vampire converts for Kristof's army. Those who survive will be turned. The crew splinters—Peter tries to betray the others to save himself. Sammy is killed. Frank sacrifices himself to buy time. Joey and the remaining survivors realize they must destroy Abigail to have any chance of escape.
Collapse
Frank is killed by Abigail in a devastating sequence. Joey is alone, her only remaining ally dead. She discovers Lambert has been manipulating everything from the beginning—there is no ransom, no escape plan. Joey faces the whiff of death: her hope dies, and she must confront her deepest fear of failing to protect someone, just as she failed her own daughter.
Crisis
Joey collapses emotionally, haunted by memories of abandoning her child. Abigail taunts her, offering to turn her into a vampire—to escape her guilt and pain. Joey nearly accepts, tempted by the promise of power and immortality. In her darkest moment, she processes her failure and finds a spark of redemption.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Joey realizes the truth: Abigail is trapped too, enslaved by her father Kristof. The synthesis—Joey can save both herself and Abigail by destroying Kristof, breaking the vampiric hold. She discovers Kristof is arriving at dawn and formulates a plan to use Abigail against him. Joey chooses redemption over survival.
Synthesis
Joey and Abigail form an uneasy alliance. When Kristof arrives, they lure him into a trap. A brutal three-way battle ensues. Joey uses her medic knowledge to weaponize blood transfusions and medical equipment. Lambert is destroyed. Kristof nearly kills Joey, but Abigail—moved by Joey's willingness to sacrifice herself—stakes her own father, destroying him. The mansion begins to collapse as Kristof's power breaks.
Transformation
Joey escapes the burning mansion at dawn. Abigail, freed from her father's control, chooses to stay in the shadows—she's still a vampire, but now has her own agency. Joey, bloodied but alive, calls her estranged daughter, taking the first step toward redemption. The closing image mirrors the opening: Joey alone, but transformed—no longer running from her past, but facing it.