Abigail

Abigail is currently streaming in Australia on Amazon Prime Video, and in the US on Amazon Prime Video and Fawesome, and it earns its premise rather than just borrowing genre trappings. The runtime earns every minute, with nothing here that feels like padding. A 6/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Watch it for Tinatin Dalakishvili — the performance elevates material that could easily tip into self-seriousness. Available now on Amazon Prime Video — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Abigail arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. Abigail uses its genre premise as cover for asking bigger questions. A young girl Abigail lives in a city whose borders were closed many years ago because of an epidemic of a mysterious disease. Abby's father was one of the sick - and he was taken when she was six years old. Going against the authorities to find his father, Abby learns that her city is actually full of magic. Tinatin Dalakishvili and Rinal Mukhametov lead a cast that never lets the concept overwhelm the characters. It hit screens in 2019. The rules of Abigail's world are consistent enough that the big swings never feel like cheating. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Sci-fi fans who want ideas alongside the spectacle will find Abigail genuinely rewarding. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. Short enough to finish in one sitting, substantial enough to feel satisfying. Tinatin Dalakishvili's performance is the anchor the more ambitious moments need. The world-building pays off in ways you will not anticipate on a first watch.