“Weapons” wins over audience

The movie “Weapons” by Zach Cregger is a horror mystery film about the disappearance of 17 children from one classroom in the suburban town of Maybrook. It explores the different perspectives, from parents to teachers, incorporating mystery and themes of trauma and conspiracy. It explores grief, paranoia, and hidden horror in what appears to be a peaceful and simple town.

The film begins with the time showing 2:17 a.m, as 17 children run out of their houses and vanish into the night. All suspicion falls on the teacher, Justine Gandy, played by Julia Garner. Garner brings a blend of fragility and quiet rage to a character who becomes both a scapegoat and a survivor. Josh Brolin plays a grieving father whose search for truth pushes him into an emotional rollercoaster. The two end up working together, uncovering the disturbing truth of what was happening in their town. 

“Weapons” split into several interwoven storylines that gradually get pieced together. The movie uses an eerie style to keep the viewers on edge. It is a slow-burning mystery with horror elements and fewer jump scares. It is structured using shifting timelines to disorient the viewers, making the setting look clean but unsettling all at the same time, leaving the viewer guessing throughout the whole movie.

Though the movie explores themes of gore and trauma, the real horror elements creep in as the truth is slowly uncovered. It is made to confuse the viewer, but just enough so they are entertained and left wanting more. There are moments of dark humor, delivered using the increasingly bizarre behaviour of the townspeople, enhancing the sense of surrealism, suggesting that the town is slipping into a shared hallucination or a deeper conspiracy.

If there is a drawback, it is that the film demands patience, which many viewers also felt when walking into the theatre expecting a regular horror movie. But for those willing to wait, it becomes a rewarding and thought-provoking film that truly stays with you even after the end.

Strong performances, attentive storytelling, and an unshakable atmosphere of unease make this a grief and guilt horror film that highlights the terrifying idea that some things aren’t meant to be understood, it confirms that Cregger is a great horror film director.