Weapons

In 2022, Zach Cregger burst onto the cinematic scene with his spectacularly original horror film, BARBARIAN. Full of tension, surprises, and sporadic doses of humor, the shocking tale of an Airbnb nightmare instantly established the writer/director as a rising star in the industry.

This year, his follow-up, WEAPONS, was not only a box-office hit, but currently stands as one of the best films of the year, proving that his BARBARIAN magic was no fluke.

When grade-school teacher Justine Gandy (Julia Garner) shows up to work one morning, she is shocked to discover that her entire classroom is empty, except for one little boy named Alex (Cary Christopher). She, along with the rest of town, soon discovers that at 2:17am, all of the students from Ms. Gandy’s class suddenly got out of their beds, ran out into the darkness, and disappeared. None of their parents heard them leave, no one knows where they went, and the only clues that can be discovered are from cameras that captured the kids fleeing from their homes.

Though it is obvious that Justine didn’t physically take the children, the inhabitants of the small town turn on the teacher quickly. Led by devastated father Archer Graff (Josh Brolin), answers are demanded and retribution is delivered. What the townsfolk can’t seem to understand is Ms. Granby, who copes with the tragedy with the aid of alcohol, wants answers just as badly as anyone, and is convinced that Alex is the key.

WEAPONS is presented in a non-linear narrative, exploring extensions of many overlapping scenes from the perspective of different characters. In lesser hands this may have played out as contriving or gimmicky, but Cregger flawlessly makes the sequences feel fresh each time. We are introduced to characters (such as the drug addicted James played by Austin Abrams) who at first appear to be cursory, only to discover that they have a much more important role to play than could have been anticipated. By utilizing this tactic, the filmmaker establishes an air of unpredictability that gamely heightens the deepening mystery of what happened to the children.

Much like BARBARIAN, WEAPONS is very story and performance driven, but when violence occurs, it is swift and brutal. Both films execute this approach to perfection, showcasing the fact that horror doesn’t need to be gratuitous from start to finish.  Garner, Brolin, Abrams, Aiden Ehrenreich (as a police officer who happens to be Justine’s ex), and newcomer Christopher are all fantastic in their own tortured way. The events that happened that fateful morning weigh heavily on each of them for different reasons, and each will be damaged regardless of the outcome.

Perhaps the most memorable performance belongs to Amy Madigan, as Alex’s uncomfortably bizarre Aunt Gladys. Oscar buzz has been percolating for the veteran actress, and for good reason. Gladys is hilariously over-the-top in both style and substance yet exudes a sinister sense of discomfort. The Academy famously shys away from the horror genre, yet Cregger and Madigan make a very strong case that this may be the year that makes it impossible to ignore.

WEAPONS

GRADE: A

RATED: R
RUN TIME: 2h 8min
GENRE: Dark Comedy, Horror, Mystery, Supernatural Horror
STARRING: Julia Garner,Josh Brolin, Alden Ehrenreich
DIRECTOR: Zach Cregger
WRITER: Zach Cregger

Now playing on VOD.

Brian Miller