When it comes to anything horror-related, I’m what you may call a little bitch. I’m easily startled by loud noises, grotesque imagery makes me extremely uncomfortable, and I just don’t do well with horror vibes in general. There are only two reasons I would ever willingly go to the cinema to watch a horror film. The first is that I have to be intrigued by the film (the premise/lore), and the second is that I have to be a big fan of the cast. The only horror film to fulfil both requirements in a while is Zach Cregger’s new film, Weapons. I was intrigued by the premise, and the cast includes some big names, so I couldn’t just not watch it. So, I put on a brave face and watched the film, even if I did immediately regret that decision as it started.
One night at 2:17 a.m., 17 children got out of bed, walked outside, and ran into the darkness of the night, never to return. The crazy part is that all the children were from the same elementary school class. How do we know this? The next day, when teacher Justine Gandy walked into her classroom, only one child was there. Confusion and panic set in, with worried parents desperately trying to find their children. Chief among them is Archer Graff, who, at a meeting to discuss the missing children, accuses Justine of knowing something about the missing kids. This leads to Justine becoming a target of harassment within the community, as everyone assumes it’s her fault. But was Justine responsible for the missing children, or is there something more sinister at play?
I was thoroughly engaged in this story the entire time, even when I was employing the watch-through-your-fingers method. The film drip-feeds you clues and hints about what happened to these children, but it never lets the mystery distract you from the characters’ personal stories and how they’re dealing with this situation. The film achieves this by telling the story from six perspectives: Justine, Archer, Paul (Justine’s ex and a police officer), James (a drug addict), Marcus (the school principal), and Alex (the only kid from Justine’s class who didn’t go missing). Each character’s perspective was intriguing, and while initially they seem disconnected from the broader narrative, they all tie together in a satisfying way by the end.
Justine’s perspective was by far my favourite, with her dealing with the scrutiny from the parents and her attempts to solve the mystery despite being ostracised by the community. Her section also has one of the most unsettling scenes in the whole film (needless to say, my car doors are staying locked at night from now on). The only perspective that didn’t seem all that necessary was Paul’s, as it felt more like a filler section. Yes, it does create some added tension towards the end, but I think the film would’ve been fine without its inclusion. But it was still an enjoyable story despite that one issue.
One of the main reasons I wanted to see this film was the absolutely stacked cast. Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, and Alden Ehrenreich, to name a few, all do phenomenal jobs. Julia Garner and Josh Brolin put in my favourite performances as Justine and Archer. Garner brilliantly portrays the mess that is Justine Gandy, with her dependence on alcohol to get through tough moments and her tendency to go against her boss’s wishes, which makes her an interesting character to watch and want to see succeed/validated.
Her dynamic with Brolin’s Archer is also compelling, and their progression throughout the film is one of the many reasons I was engaged throughout. Speaking of Brolin, he nailed the desperate father schtick to a T, and the way his character is a stand-in for herd mentality was an interesting direction to go.
The rest of the cast also does great, but we don’t spend much time with them to make me care as much for them. I adore Alden Ehrenreich, but Paul was a bit of a nothing character. He shows up to tell Justine what she needs to hear in a bar, and then deals with his girlfriend, whom he hates. Ehrenreich’s performance saves the character, but I wish there were a bit more to him. He did deliver some funny moments, but I’d attribute that more to his interactions with James than anything else.
Speaking of James, he’s the funniest character in the film, and Austin Abrams was fantastic. This drug addict, who just so happens to find himself in these horrible situations, had me laughing multiple times, with one part in particular at the end making me forget I was watching a horror film.
The last two characters I’ll touch on are Marcus, played by Benedict Wong, and Alex, played by Cary Christopher. Marcus is the principal at the elementary school, and he plays a big role in helping to unravel the mystery for the audience. It’s a shame we don’t get to see much of him, as his section is the shortest in the film, which sucks because Benedict Wong is amazing. I could say the same for Cary as Alex because he’s the best child actor I’ve seen in a hot minute. Cary is phenomenal in the role, and the way his character ties everything together was near perfect. But unlike Marcus, we actually get to spend a decent amount of time with him, which makes his story hit all the harder.
Something that director Zach Cregger nailed in Weapons is the vibe, cause this bitch be moody AF. Everything, from the cinematography and set design to the soundtrack and everything in between, helps create an unsettling vibe that you just can’t shake. It keeps you on the edge of your seat, making you expect something terrifying to happen (and there are some deeply unsettling moments). But what this film does differently is that it breaks up this tension with comedy, which I was not expecting.
Whether it be through a character’s reaction, a visual gag, or a combination of both, Weapons will help to put you at ease with comedy after scaring you shitless. I was greatly appreciative of these moments, and they helped calm my nerves after some of the scarier sections.
Even though I was questioning all of my life choices as Weapons started, I ended up having a great time with this film. I was fully engrossed in the mystery, the characters, and the overall vibe that, for brief moments of, I was absolutely terrified. It helps that the film is oddly hilarious at times, which balances out the horror elements, but I even enjoyed the tense moments that I usually despise.
I will definitely be rewatching this film when it releases on Blu-ray to further dissect the themes and messaging in the film. However, I will be watching it in a brightly lit room in the middle of the day (I’m still a lil bitch after all).
Have you seen Weapons? What did you think? What moment caught you off guard? Let us know in the comments where we can talk about how hilarious the ending is.
