If you are a horror fan who caught Barbarian, then odds are you’ve been impatiently waiting to see how writer-director Zach Cregger would follow up his first horror feature. Which means you have also probably secured your ticket to see Weapons this weekend. Rest assured, Cregger’s new movie is not whatever you think it is. If I may be so bold, I also think this movie is better than Barbarian. It’s sicker, more insidious, and basically uses practical effects to deliver nightmare fuel directly into your retinas.
Weapons: A Small Town Mystery
Weapons is set in a small town that recently suffered a mysterious and tragic loss. One morning, Justine Gandy (Julia Garner) reported to her classroom and discovered all of her kids were missing except one. Since then, she and Alex Lilly (Cary Christopher), the sole student in her class that fateful morning, have had their worlds turned upside down. While Alex has switched classes and is being cared for, Justine has become the town’s punching bag. People vandalize her property, corner her in public, and accuse her of having something to do with their missing children.
To make things more mysterious, the parents who had cameras on their porches can see their kids run out of their houses at 2:17 AM the night they all disappeared. However, no one can figure out where they went once they disappeared from the camera vantage points. Or, more importantly, what made them leave their homes in the dead of night? These questions haunt this community as they try to find a new sense of normal in the aftermath of this sudden event.
Small Town Dynamics With a Side of Dark Humor
I am not going to lie. Most of the first half of Weapons feels like a captivating small-town mystery. We get community dynamics, check in on grieving parents, discover just how corrupt the local police are, and even pick up a ton of gossip about Justine as the camera follows closely behind her for a good bit of the movie. I am nosy and never felt like this was not part of the greater mystery, so I was happy to see where it goes. Also, Cregger’s dark sense of humor is on full display as he continually cranks up the creepy meter on this twisted tale. So, it is hard not to have a good time.
Cregger is also still gleefully playing with structure in his work. He uses characters as vehicles to drive different chapters of Weapons. Unlike with Barbarian, this movie gives him more people to play with, which provides quite a few twisted journeys into what turns into a suburban bloodbath. Each segment builds on what we know about this world and this strange occurrence, as it raises the tensions and crafts a beautiful mystery. By the time Cregger reveals what’s really going on, Weapons is done toying with the audience and ready to throw sick visuals and WTF moments at them nonstop. The film is like a rollercoaster that lets you think it is going to take it easy, only for you to find yourself dangling upside down and worried you might piss yourself.
Stacked Stellar Performances Across the Board
Most people are going to applaud Julia Garner’s performance. They will also shout out Josh Brolin, who plays Archer, a man seeking answers for his son’s disappearance, as he cannot move on yet. However, because this film feeds supporting actors, there are many performances to obsess over. Benedict Wong as Andrew Marcus, the school principal, who is trying to protect his teacher while sympathizing with the community. Amy Madigan as Gladys Lilly, an eccentric older lady who causes trouble everywhere she goes. This story is only as good as its weakest ensemble member, and everyone showed up and showed out. We have an intriguing world filled with messy and realistic characters inhabited by actors who understand the assignment. Cregger wields each one like a paint brush as he paints a sickly humorous image onto our brains.
Although one of the most impressive from a sea of standout performances was Cary Christopher as Alex. As someone who is usually unimpressed with child actors, I was blown away by how he handled everything he was given. Weapons tossed this kid a lot, and he held his own among some veteran actors we all love. Hopefully, the genre can keep him because kids remain a horror movie staple.
Weapons Has a Wild Second Half
This is a spoiler-free review, but I can tell you that the back half of Weapons earns the runtime. Some might not be feeling the mystery and town vibes, or you feel like the messed-up imagery you’ve gotten wasn’t worth the trip to the theater. However, I implore you to stick it out for the wild, wonderful, and wicked second half of this film. It feels like a distant cousin to shit I have come to only expect from Korean horror films. I lived my best life and can tell you that the destination was so worth the journey. This film is kooky, unexpected, and a devilishly good time. It also isn’t afraid to make the audience think rather than feed them everything during the opening credits. That is a rare sight these days, and I wish more movies did the same.