Warner Bros. Pictures releases Weapons in UK cinemas on August 8, 2025.
Synopsis
When all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.
Review
In 2022 Zach Cregger put himself on the map with the release of genre-bending horror Barbarian. Its unpredictability and penchant for satire was refreshing in a post-Covid marketplace crying out for originality. Cregger returns to cinemas this week with only his second solo-directorial release, Weapons. An equally beguiling mystery which takes audiences on a somewhat baffling journey in to the supernatural.
Via the narrations of a child (Scarlett Sher) we learn that Weapons tells the “true story” of an incident which took place in Maybrook, Illinois. Details of the incident were stricken from the record and never spoken of publicly. But the townsfolk know the truth and this is where our story begins. As Justine Gandy (Julia Garner) arrives to teach her third-grade it appears that only one student, Alex (Cary Christopher) has turned up for school. The night before, at exactly 02:17 am, 17 other children – all from the same class – got out of bed and mysteriously ran out of the house. The unexplained phenomena and lack of evidence forces the town in to a state of shock. Many point the finger of blame as Justine whilst she protests her innocence. The truth of what happens… well that’s for you to explore in watching the film.
For all its twists and turns, Weapons is a cinematic experience which – unless you saw Barbarian – is unparalleled. There’s no doubt that Cregger has constructed this film to generate conversation regardless of whether the audience feels positively or negatively about the end result. In that regard Weapons is a resounding success. As with Barbarian, it’s difficult to fully discuss Weapons without accidentally spoiling plot points. Or even leading down a certain path which may lead to theories about the film’s true nature. But that’s all part of the fun of experiencing the film.
There’s a quirky nature to the film’s structure with it broken in to chapters focussing on individual characters. A sublimely shot prologue sequence is stalwart in its refusal to expose the faces of any of the film’s cast. Instead keeping the audience focussed on the events rather than the personalities caught within it. It’s only when the screen cuts to black and the caption “JUSTINE” appears that the film – and its characters – begin to come in to focus. The structure works well, hyper-focussing the audience on the teacher as she suffers at the hands of unruly townsfolk whilst battling her own inner demons. It also highlights another strong performance from Julia Garner as she continues her career breakout. Through her story we hear and see a number of supporting characters unsure of who might be next to step in to the spotlight.
That honour falls to grieving father Archer Graff (Josh Brolin), one of Miss Gandy’s more vocal detractors. His son Matthew was one of the children to disappear and his search for answers becomes a focal point through much of the film’s remaining narrative. During the Archer chapter of the story Cregger begins to piece together parts of the narrative. Archer’s story intersects with Julia’s, exploring his side of events and adding tiny pieces of context. It shows a meticulous dedication to the building blocks of the script but also highlights some of Cregger’s more outlandish elements. A dream sequence which speaks to the film’s title remains unexplained and feels contrived in its zeal to show off some fantastical imagery.
After the half-way point of Weapons’ 128 minute runtime chapters for local cop Paul Morgan (Alden Ehrenreich), homeless drug addict James (Austin Abrams) and school headteacher Andrew Marcus (Benedict Wong) begin to test the structural resilience. Cregger might ensure that each has a key part to play in the story. But in doing so it bloats the journey towards understanding – as much as one can – what is really going on in the town. Think of the film as a complex adult jigsaw made of pieces in unconventional shapes. At times piecing it together can be frustrating. But as the image finally comes in to focus completing the journey pays dividends.
Though it’s Cregger’s storytelling which will generate the most conversation. It’s the film’s studious casting which carries it across the finish line. Garner is pitch perfect casting as a young, ardent teacher. She’s able to carry off Justine’s vulnerabilities with earnest emotion. But when she needs to step up there’s a strength which shines through on screen. Surprisingly it’s Brolin who carries most of the weight as it’s Archer who pieces together the disappearance of the kids. Brolin’s ability to communicate a seething anger goes a long way toward selling Weapons to even the most sceptical viewer. Meanwhile Ehrenreich, Abrams and Wong all bring a sense of humour to proceedings which help to lift the mood.
A lot of narrative weight is also placed on the shoulders of young Cary Christopher and the seasoned Amy Madigan. Sharing the screen together is some of Weapons’ strongest work. At only 9 years-old he’s already a surprisingly accomplished actor with a growing résumé. His ability to communicate through expression without dialogue is perfect for the role. Whilst Madigan is unrecognisable, disappearing in to the role of a lifetime with Gladys. She may be more believable as Alex’s grandma rather than an aunt as it is played here. But there’s absolutely no avoiding the impact her role has on the film. Particularly in the final act.
When these unconventional horror releases arrive with quiets like “the scariest film of the decade” it’s difficult not to have high expectations. Sadly, whilst Weapons is undeniably tense and more than a little creepy. There was nary a scare to be found. It falls in to classic traps like signally potential jump scares with a tense lack of sound. It’s a decades old horror trope which the audience is all to aware of. Given the unique and ingenious makeup of the rest of the film it would be encouraging to see filmmakers like Cregger finding new and inventive ways to scare the audience.
Verdict
Zach Cregger’s Weapons succeeds as a as a conversation-starter, using an unconventional structure and boasting strong performances from Julia Garner and Josh Brolin. But a lack of scares make this a tense supernatural thriller rather than an outright horror masterpiece.
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