Tags:
Film: Weapons
Year: 2025
Director: Zach Cregger
Writer: Zach Cregger
Starring: Julia Garner, Josh Brolin and Alden Ehrenreich
Review:
This was a film that I learned about through buzz in the horror community. It wasn’t until right before seeing it that I connected it was the same director who did Barbarians. That was one I enjoyed but didn’t necessarily love. Intrigued grew seeing that it starred Julia Garner. Plus seeing that this also featured Josh Brolin added to it. I did know the premise as well. This is also my 2025 horror release for the week.
Synopsis: when all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanishes on the same night at the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.
The film opens with a child's voice-over narrating the inexplicable disappearance of 17 out of 18 students from a classroom at 2:17 AM. Only Alex (Cary Christopher) remained. He and teacher Justine (Garner) are interviewed, attempting to understand the event. Parents, led by Archer (Brolin), express their grief at a town hall. The story is then told in chapters, each from a different character's perspective.
What I’ll say is that Justine is blamed by Archer along with the other parents. There is a police officer that she used to see, Paul (Alden Ehrenreich), who has issues of his own. He meets up with Julia for a drink. His life is in a spiral that he has little control of that he pulls her into. Archer is struggling at work, due to the obsession of finding his son. There is also a homeless drug addict, James (Austin Abrams), who gets pulled into this ever-growing web.
Things get together and are explained through Alex. He lives with his parents, played by Whitmer Thomas and Callie Schuttera. There is something else that I’ll leave out as I don’t want to give anything away. What I will say is that we see people acting out of their normal. They’re crazy with a rage they might not be able to control.
Now I wanted to go brief with this recap since I came into this one almost completely blind. The only part of the trailer I saw was the beginning, which showed the town hall. I thought that did enough to catch my interest without spoiling it. There is a creepy image that I saw of a character with bulging eyes that made me uncomfortable. I love how this comes into play with the story. I’ll just say to end my opening thoughts, come into this one blind. Temper your expectations and just go along with the events.
With that set up, the biggest thing that I need to give credit to would be writing. Zach Cregger's Barbarian masterfully uses subtle details that resurface later, a technique I appreciate in his work. These "Easter eggs" for the audience, like Archer's nightmare or Justine's vandalized car, may initially seem disconnected but enrich the narrative. Something else that is interesting using an element from The Grudge's non-linear storytelling. That helps to hide details while still progressing the story.
Another element of the story that works for me is now being a parent. There is something terrifying about having the children just disappear. The parents want a reason. Archer and others blame Justine. There is logic there. The problem is that there isn’t any evidence. Another logical route is Alex, the only student who isn’t missing. The problem is that he is interviewed and the police don’t get anything. The fact that all his classmates disappear on the same night with no other elements connecting is terrifying. That is something to give credit to here.
Where I want to then go would be the acting performances. Garner's past subtle boundary-crossing makes her a logical suspect. How she plays the role is great. Brolin excels as the determined parent and Ehrenreich as the entangled officer is interesting to see develop. Christopher's bullied backstory gives his character depth as things that happen bridges events. Benedict Wong shines as the principal. Amy Madigan steals the show with her performance. The rest of the cast completes the ensemble with credit there to Thomas, Schuttera and Abrams.
All that is left then is filmmaking aspects. The film excels in cinematography and framing, from the opening sequence to the action scenes. Practical effects were well-utilized, with any CGI being unnoticeable except for a forgivable dream sequence. Subtle, grounded supernatural elements were a welcome addition. The soundtrack and design effectively built atmosphere and tension. Editing skillfully wove together character storylines which truly makes this work.
In conclusion, this delivers a compelling horror experience thanks to Cregger's intricate writing and masterful direction. The film's non-linear narrative, subtle details and terrifying premise of vanishing children create a gripping mystery. Strong performances from Garner, Brolin and the supporting cast, combined with excellent cinematography, practical effects, and atmospheric design, elevate the film. It's a highly recommended watch, ideally experienced with minimal prior knowledge to fully appreciate its unfolding horrors.
My Rating: 9 out of 10