Weapons

In the fall of 1998, my friends and I — along with a ton of other people — went to see the movie Wing Commander, but it wasn’t for that movie. No, instead it was for the trailer for Episode I – The Phantom Menace, which would be the first new Star Wars content in twenty-six years.

I used to love trailers, and I’ve seen more than a few movies just because of what was playing in front of them — but I’m not like that anymore. Today, trailers just give too much away, so I’ve started to skip them. A movie like Weapons is exactly the reason why.

At 2:17 in the morning, seventeen kids left their beds, walked out their front doors, and disappeared into the night. If that wasn’t strange enough, all the kids were in the same third-grade class — and the only two people who showed up the next day were their teacher, Mrs. Grandy (Julia Garner), and a student named Alex (Cary Christopher). This, of course, sets off a panic as parents and authorities search for answers. When none are found, they start blaming Mrs. Grandy.

While everyone else is waiting for answers, Archer Graff (Josh Brolin), whose son is one of the missing, begins his own investigation — which includes watching Mrs. Grandy. During his search, he sees something strange, something that might be the key to finding his son… or not.

Written and directed by Zach Cregger — whose last feature, Barbarian, was a crowd-pleasing rollercoaster — Weapons is a more complex thriller with strong horror elements. There’s still plenty to fear here, but this time, it’s the unknown. That, along with the narrative and characters, is the engine that drives Weapons.

Just like in Barbarian, Cregger finds a way to take something familiar and safe — in this case, suburbia — and turn it into a nightmare. From there, the film explores how communities respond to mass trauma, told through six chapters that showcase the different levels of grief experienced by those affected.

Weapons digs into uncomfortable truths and exposes the hypocrisies within society, delivering it all in a way that leaves an imprint on your mind.

This is a super engaging, funny, and terrifying story that truly feels like evil is lurking behind every frame. The jump scares are limited — the terror comes from the story itself and the unknown that surrounds it.

The cast is excellent, led by Garner and Brolin, with every character feeling authentic — and more importantly, human. Each actor fits their role perfectly, and Cregger unfolds the story at a deliberate pace. It’s those performances that keep things from feeling like you’re just waiting for something to happen.

There are laughs here, but the film is soaked in a sense of despair and sadness — which you’d expect from a story about seventeen missing children. Not everything in Weapons works perfectly, but what does work is the vibes it gives you. It’s something to aspire to: a true cinematic experience.

There’s not much more I want to say, in order to avoid spoilers, but hear this: Weapons isn’t just one of the best horror films of the year — it’s one of the best films of the year, period. See it as soon as you can.