Spoilers Ahead!
Zach Cregger’s much anticipated horror film has been a hot topic since its very first trailer, following hot on the trail of his horror debut, Barbarian (2022). Although Barbarian has its faults, with its tonal shift and release of tension in the second act, its cinematography, dialogue, fresh concept, and non-linear storytelling made it stand alone as a fantastic film.
For horror fanatics that craved those aspects of Barbarian, Weapons simply takes that which we loved and doubles in execution. The film has a fantastic first act, opening with Georgia Harrison’s “Beware of Darkness” as we witness 17 children unnaturally sprinting from their homes early in the morning . This needle drop moment sets the unsettling tone for the film, and keeps you tense and uncertain until the end.
The first act continues a month after the children’s disappearnces, following a distressed, paranoid, and deeply flawed teacher reeling from the event. So few questions are answered, allowing the mystery and anxiety to mount exponentially.
We then switch to a different character’s perspective, recounting the day before from their point of view. This reveals the chapter, different-character POV storytelling technique Cregger so masterfully utilizes to slowly peel back the layers of mystery, constantly shifting the paradigm, interpersonal character relationships, and your opinions of the characters. Not only was every POV engaging and masterfully acted, but each perspective is vital to unraveling the core mystery.
Then, much like Barbarian, our antagonist is revealed (in my opinion) a bit too soon. This shifts the tone from an uncertain horror, to a supernatural, catch-the-bad-guy thriller. I feel as if this is the only shortcoming of an otherwise unforgettable film. The first half was so scary and terrifying, to the point I had to cover my face for the better half of it. The lack of knowledge was what made me feel such primal fear (especially the car scene). But despite my preference, Cregger still manages to make the tonal shift serve both the narrative and the audience in a way that keeps the film engaging and exciting.
While the second half elicits more atmospheric anxiety (once we know what the very compelling antagonist is capable of), the first half relies on primal fears rooted in the dark, uncanny human visuals and movements, good old jumpscares and our simple lack of knowledge as the audience. Two different fears in the same movie. The ones from the first half keeping you on edge for the entire second half. It felt like a combo deal that I was SAT for.
I also cannot stress enough how impactful two performances were in particular. Every single focal character played their part phenomenally, giving each chapter its own standalone weight. That being said, there were two that stood out to me. The first being the honorable Justin Long! Of course he has such a brief role in this film, but Justin Long is making himself a modern horror legend. Although, in all honesty, he does not add much narratively to this film, you know a movie is about to be fire when he makes an appearance.
The second performance that I feel was rave worthy was the great Austin Abrams. First The Walking Dead, then Euphoria, now this. He is showing his hunger and talent as a truly authentic actor. It’s also quite funny to see him playing yet another tweaker running for his life and screaming, just like in Wolves (2024). All jokes aside, the humor and honesty he adds with every delivery and every shambling movement is electric. He makes you feel as if he truly was an addict that was simply recorded in his daily life, unaware of the camera. Every moment he is on screen, he performs with purpose that leaves you laughing in one moment then holding your breath in the next.
And that finale! So out of the norm, bordering goofy but somehow fitting the tone of the film perfectly. The horribly violent yet bizarre death of our main antagonist leaves you satisfied and somehow giggling, showing the direct influence of Cregger’s sketch comedy years on the film. It’s as if the whole film is such a crafted, subtle tone gradient. So subtle that you don’t know it has changed until a shambling, bald, elderly woman is being chased to the death by 17 sprinting children.
Cregger creates such a memorable piece of horror fiction, one that I cannot get out of my mind. Not only does he do that, but he does it so aesthetically that I was blown away by the cinematographic creativity. The tracking shots, the dolly zooms, moving door cams, ring camera footage, unique angles, whip pans, and some truly anxiety inducing framing. The sleeping in the car scene and the confrontation in the liquor store are both prime examples, examples that make you never want to touch a camera again because there is no longer any room for improvement.
Without the technical execution of shots like these, there’s no telling where the movie would have gone on my list. Camera work, acting performances, narrative, pacing, and conclusion all considered, this movie was delightful. A great movie and a truly memorable one at that. One that makes you scream, gasp, and jump as much as it makes you smile, laugh, and admire. One that is easily worth a clean 4 out of 5 stars!