Abigail

What’s it about?

A group of criminals kidnaps the 12-year-old daughter of a powerful underworld figure. Their plan starts to unravel when they discover their young captive is actually a bloodthirsty vampire.

The facts 

• Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett
• Stars Angus Cloud, Melissa Barrera, Alisha Weir, Kathryn Newton 
• English language 
• Runtime: 109 minutes

Why did it get this rating? 

This film was classified by Te Mana Whakaatu, Classification Office. You can find out more about classification process and ratings here.

Horror

The film contains standard horror tropes, including:

• The action takes place in a dimly lit, isolated, old mansion house, with secret passages, creaking floorboards, rattling doorknobs, and unexplained noises. 
• Suspenseful music and jump scares are used to build the sense of fear.
• Characters are suddenly dragged backwards by unseen forces. 

Violence

Strong examples of violence include:

• A character's decapitated head falls into someone’s hands.
• A character falls into a pool filled with blood, guts, and bloated dead bodies.
• A character is impaled on a stake through their shoulder, then screaming in pain and she tries to move forward. 
• A character’s hand is shot off, leaving a bloody stump with protruding, splintered bones. The hand later regenerates. 

Drug use 

One of the characters smokes marijuana, including using a bong. This is not instructional, nor is the behaviour presented in a way that viewers would want to imitate.

Offensive language

Characters use offensive language, mainly “f**k.”

When content stays with you: 

We all have our boundaries, and it’s completely okay if something you’ve watched is weighing on your mind. If certain content lingers with you, consider having a chat with friends or whānau to debrief about what you’ve just seen. But if you’re still feeling affected, please reach out to any of the following helplines for support.  

• 1737
• Safe to talk
• Lifeline
• Youthline

Further information 

• Why are ratings and content warnings important for me and my whānau?