"Weapons" Film Review

Weapons

Rating: 5/5

By: Nathaniel Simpson

    Weapons, then new movie from Zach Cregger, is everything I would have wanted, plus more. My expectations for this movie were incredibly high due to Cregger's previous film, Barbarian, and he somehow crafted a film that I think is even better than the aforementioned movie. Weapons is twisted, hilariously fun, and captures the viewer's attention from the first frame; this is without a doubt one of the best horror films of the year. 

    The synopsis for this film is brief, but has enough to capture the attention of movie-goers. On one night, every child (except one) from Ms. Gandy's (Julia Garner) class, got up and left their houses at 2:17, running in a specific direction with their arms out-stretched. No one knows why, and no one knows where the kids are. I don't know about you, but when I heard that tagline and found out that the director from Barbarian was writing and directing it, I was immediately sold. However, when hearing that, my expectations also got incredibly high as well. 

    That's why I was praying that this movie would turn out good when I was walking into the theater yesterday afternoon. I wanted Cregger to not only scare me, but present a damn good film that had fun characters and an enjoyable story. Thankfully, he delivered a movie that is even better than what he did before. Weapons is not your run-of-the-mill horror film that is full of cheap jump scares and a very forgettable story, but rather an incredibly enjoyable piece of filmmaking that does a great job on thrilling and delighting the audience. Not only will the movie creep the hell out of you, but make you laugh out loud in various different parts. 

    Not trying to get into spoilers here, but I love the way Cregger unfolds the story. The film bounces from different character point of views, showing how their actions and their emotions affect different aspects of the story as a whole. The entire way the movie is shot is very unique to modern horror, and Cregger really makes the viewer care about these characters and what they are going through. At the same time, I think he does a magnificent job at setting up the plot twist towards the end of the film, showing glimpses of what is to come throughout the movie before the big reveal, and believe me, the reveal is a very twisted and deranged twist you won't expect coming. 

    I also appreciate the balls that Cregger has for going for some of the craziest things he could put into a movie. I feel like a lot of filmmakers would shy away from some of the things he was able to do, and this just shows how Cregger is able to push the envelope in a way that viewers want. This movie gave me everything I was expecting, as well as delightfully adding in twisted and dark elements I didn't even know I wanted in this movie. I also want to comment on the numerous iconic horror shots and aspects he pulled from previous horror films, such as The Shining and the 1990 IT adaptation, to name a few. He has said in interviews he undoubtedly stole from the latter of those films, and it is amazing seeing a younger filmmaker use these filmmaking tactics to achieve such amazing results in a modern horror film.

    The acting from the entire ensemble cast is great, and they all seamlessly work together to craft such an eclectic group of characters in Maybrook. Garner, Josh Brolin, Austin Abrams, Alden Ehrenreich, and Benedict Wong all do a marvelous job of bringing these characters to life and there are scenes where they all really steal the show. But, I wanted to point out nine-year-old Cary Christopher as he undoubtedly gives perhaps one of the best performances in the entire film, if not the best. I won't say anything about his character or role here, but he will simply knock your socks off. The same can be said for Amy Madigan, but I won't go more into her performance either for the sake of protecting the secrets of this movie. 

    Weapons is such a fresh and fun horror film, one that we need in this day and age. Cregger is easily becoming one of my favorite modern horror directors, and we need more filmmakers like him in the world. He doesn't simply retell stories that have already been told before on the screen, but rather crafts such interesting and unexpectedly twisted films that work on every level. Weapons is no doubt one of the best movies of the year, and it's one that will definitely bring me back to the movie theater very soon.