Weapons

I caught an advance screening of Weapons (2025) tonight. The storyline follows a town in shock after an entire elementary school class mysteriously vanishes one night, after all the children suddenly run out of their homes. The blame falls on the teacher, who becomes desperate to clear her name-but she has no idea where to begin. Maybe she should start with the one student who didn't go missing...

This picture is written and directed by Zach Cregger (Barbarian) and stars Julia Garner (Ozark), Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men), Amy Madigan (Streets of Fire), Benedict Wong (Doctor Strange), and Justin Long (Jeepers Creepers).

Weapons is a unique and gripping addition to the horror genre, evoking the tone of both Hereditary and The Children. The acting is phenomenal-every cast member delivers a grounded, emotionally authentic performance. The story unfolds in a Pulp Fiction-style structure, allowing the audience to piece everything together from different characters' perspectives.

The horror builds slowly and methodically, but once it kicks in, it really kicks in. The gore is intense, and a few scenes even brought Drag Me to Hell to mind. The villain is top-tier, and the central concept is executed with precision. Standout moments-especially the kitchen and gas station scenes-are packed with tension and shot beautifully. The camerawork throughout is exceptional, particularly in the climax, and even everyday settings like the liquor store are filmed with eerie familiarity. There's a cloud of mystery hanging over the film, and as the pieces finally click into place, the ending lands perfectly.

In conclusion, Weapons is everything you want it to be-methodical, well-written, and even better executed. I'd give it an 8.5/10 and strongly recommend it.

"Weapons" focuses on a Pennsylvania town where a large group of children-coincidentally (or perhaps not) from the same home classroom-flee their homes one night and disappear. Suspicion naturally falls on their teacher, but an intricate web of events unfolds, showcasing a dark, if not unbelievable, turn of events.

While writer-director Zach Cregger's "Barbarian" attracted a significant following among genre fans, I was not particularly a fan of that film; while I thought it had its share of strong elements and could see why some people loved it, the tone and genre-bending grotesque humor did not appeal to my taste. Because of this, I had tempered expectations for this film, but on the whole was pleasantly surprised. There is certainly dark humor here, but it is played in a more human way.

The screenplay utilizes segmented vignettes that interlock, forming a larger portrait of the strange, almost Stephen King-esque events unfolding in the small community. Tensions abound, as the missing kids' schoolteacher, Justine Gandy (Julia Garner) receives her scarlet letter, with grief-stricken parents such as Archer (Josh Brolin) blaming her for their children's disappearances. Further characters are thrown into the mix and each have their own narrative strands in the chain of events, including a struggling cop (Alden Ehrenreich), a young drug addict and petty thief (Austin Abrams), and the school principal Andrew (Benedict Wong).

While this narrative mode can often be hit-or-miss, it is played to great effect here and is clever without being too gimmicky or pretentious for its own good. On a purely technical level, the film is solid-the cinematography and locations are atmospheric, the sparse use of music and silence is pointed, and the performances are uniformly good from everyone involved. That being said, Amy Madigan, playing the aunt of the sole child in his class who didn't vanish into the night, steals the thunder from everyone , giving a performance that is of "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" proportions.

Many have noted that the less you know about the film going into it, the better, and while I think that adage stands true for most moviegoing experiences, it is especially true here. The interlocking character vignettes are compelling in their own right, and the plot strands playfully connect by degrees, keeping the audience firmly planted on their toes. The truth eludes you until the outrageous final act, which is where I think the film could lose some people; however, by that point, I think even most hardened horror fans will remain invested due to the high level of intrigue that has brewed over the previous hour and a half. "Where could this possibly go?" was a recurring thought as I watched this, and even when it stretched credulity as the answers came, I remained firmly in the crosshairs, just as each of the children in Ms. Gandy's ill-fated homeroom. 8/10.

I must say, this movie truly has it all - mystery, horror, and excellent storytelling.

Normally, it takes a while for a film to draw me in and build up the suspense, but this one grabs your attention from the very first scene and keeps you hooked all the way through.

The pacing is tight, the atmosphere is intense, and the story unfolds in a way that keeps you constantly curious. I also really appreciated the performances - the acting felt authentic and added depth to the overall experience.

The ending was satisfying, though I gave it 8 stars because a few elements of the mystery remained unresolved - or perhaps intentionally left open to interpretation.

Still, a fantastic film and a must-watch for fans of smart, original horror!

Weapons is without a doubt one of the most intense and fascinating horror movies I've ever seen. I rarely give good reviews to any horror film but this one went above and beyond my expectations. The premise is quite simple, a classroom of kids goes missing. It sounds normal, but something about the plot is so eerie and terrifying it keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout. The film does a good job of balancing the horror with some comedy to alleviate the underlying tension that is there. Weapons has so many twists and turns that will keep you guessing throughout. Josh Brolin and Julia Garner carry this film. I highly recommend seeing this movie in theaters with an audience, it really makes the experience a whole lot better.

I liked Creggers' Barbarian a lot, but he didn't entirely stick the landing for me. Weapons is his sophomore effort, and you can see the confidence in direction and story telling is more refined. I had a blast watching this, as much as i love serious horror, Weapons wasn't afraid to inject some huge laughs to release the tension. Its gonna be hard to choose between this and 'Bring her Back', as my fave horror of the year thus far...