Rating: Full

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Studios: Universal Pictures/

Cast: Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens, Kathryn Newton, Will Catlett, Kevin Durand, Angus Cloud, Alisha Weir and Giancarlo Esposito

Directors: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillet

Writers: Guy Busick and Stephen Shields

Based on: Dracula’s Daughter

Producers: Paul Neinstein, William Sherak, James Vanderbilt, Chad Villella and Tripp Vinson

Music by: Brian Tyler

Rated: R for strong bloody violence and gore throughout, pervasive language and brief drug use

Release Date: 04/19/24

Runtime: 1h 49m

Tagline: Children can be such monsters

Favorite Character: Abigail

Quote: “I’m sorry about what’s gonna happen to you.”- Abigail

Fun Fact: 95% of Abigail’s stunts was done by Alisha Weir herself.

The Review: I’d bet horror fans everywhere are bummed about the fact that Wes Craven is gone, luckily there are two of the horror directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett and have their own production company. Like other major directors, they would go off to explore other genres. Before that happens, we got another scary movie of theirs to explore.

Radio Silence’s retelling of the Universal’s 1936 Dracula Daughter tells us a different kind of a vampire story, about a talented little ballerina named Abigail (Alisha Weir, Matilda the Musical) who gave us her demo during the opening credits. There is one twist though, she is a vampire. And perhaps a talented actress too since her expression kidnapping was so real during that part. They didn’t confirm that she is a classic monster till later in the film but we all probably already knew that. We do see Abigail retiring to her bed, acting all like a human being and not a stereotypical vampire that sleeps in coffins.

Moving on to the kidnappers, The opening pulls off a stunt that makes you think ‘I thought this was a horror movie, not a crime movie’ because, well, it does feel like a crime thriller, for the first 10 minutes. The leader (Scream’s Melissa Berrera) leads the team to kidnap the daughter (Abigail) of the wealthy man and bring her to the wooden mansion, intend to have her handcuffed to bed until her father gifts them with $50 million. I love the fact that the mansion well ensembles the setting from one of Radio Silence’s other films, ‘Ready or Not’

The group wad given instructions by Gus Fri…err i mean…Lambert assigned codenames to them, preventing us from learning their real names and identities but don’t worry, you’ll find out about them later. For the first moments, Abigail will fool the kidnappers by acting all damsel in distressy. Then…Karma will take a bite on them. Let’s check the horror tropes for this movie. Lock in the mansion? Check! The group slowly getting picked off one by one? Check! The remaining survivors trying to survive and get out? Double Check!

I would like to credit Composer Brian Tyler for giving us an epic version of the Swan Lake in what perhaps is one of the best parts of the film! I am not gonna say much, you’ll have to check it out for yourself! I almost forgot to mention something. One of the members of the soon to be unfortunate kidnappers, Dean is played by Angus Cloud who sadly passed away last July. It was sweet for Radio Silence to make him a ‘In loving memory’ trope before the end credits.

This is more of a horror movie for those who enjoy more of the bloody parts than the campy jumpscares. Yes, the final film wasn’t all too bloody brilliant, but the idea of a vampire ballerina is indeed is! I mean, what horror filmmakers wouldn’t have thought of that?