Weapons Review: A Deeply Disturbing Good Time.
Listennnnnnn, as a horror fanatic I’ve been patiently waiting for OUR season to kick off, and I can say without a doubt that Weapons is one of them ones. From the moment I first saw the trailer, I knew I had to see what this movie was about—and honestly, it didn’t disappoint. Was it perfect? No. But it’s easily one of the strangest experiences I’ve had in a long time. The only other movie that gave me the same feeling after watching was Longlegs, and oh boy… that one was something else. Anyways, alyuh, let’s just get into this review so I can finally get these thoughts out of my head.
The movie takes place in the fictional town of Maybrook, Pennsylvania, where a strange and chilling event shakes the community to its core. One night at exactly 2:17 a.m., 17 children from the same class mysteriously leave their beds, run out of their homes, and vanish into the darkness. The next morning, their teacher, Justine Gandy, played brilliantly by Julia Garner, walks into her classroom to find it nearly empty, with only Alex Lilly (Cary Christopher) still in his seat.
That premise alone is unsettling, but director Zach Cregger pushes it to an entirely new level. I’ll be honest—at first, I wasn’t sure I’d enjoy it. The pacing started off slow, and it didn’t follow the traditional, linear storytelling I’m used to. As a dedicated TikToker, I know my attention span a lil flimsy (definitely not something I’m proud of), so I need to be hooked quickly if I’m going to commit. Still, I pay good money to see this in theaters, so I stuck with it—and I’m so glad I did.
The film unfolds in chapters, each one centered on a different character who’s attached to the disappearance of the children in one way or another: Justine, Archer (Josh Brolin), Paul (Alden Ehrenreich), James (Austin Abrams), Marcus (Benedict Wong), Alex, and our antagonist. With each chapter, the tension climbs higher and higher, until I found myself literally holding my breath, bracing for whatever came next.
Image courtesy of New Line Cinema.
Having seen Julia Garner in Ozark and knowing how she can steal every scene she’s in, I was 100% sure she was going to give me a show for my money. But Weapons had other plans — she and the other characters felt more like passers-by in a much bigger, stranger game. The true antagonist comes completely out of left field, and that’s what makes the second half so gripping. It’s disturbing, perplexing, and impossible to look away from. What really unsettled me, though, was the way it tapped into something that felt almost… familiar. Being from Trinidad and the wider Caribbean, some moments carried the same weight and darkness you’d hear in old obeah tales — the kind of stories where the air feels heavy, and you know something unseen is at work. That cultural echo made the unease sink deep into my bones.
Image courtesy of New Line Cinema.
I left that theatre wondering what de hell I just watch, but still grinning cause I had a good time. After I did my lil research and realized it was the same director who did Barbarian, the maths started mathsing. Oh, and before I forget, the comedy in this movie? Loved it. Some of the funniest scenes happen right in the middle of the most disturbing ones. The juxtapositions at play here were awesome. Sometimes the only way to shake off that uneasy feeling is to buss a good laugh, yes.
Overall, I really enjoyed this movie and I’m excited to see what Zach has planned next for horror fans. If Weapons is the true start of the horror season, then get ready cause we’re in for a wild, intense ride. I can’t wait to see where it goes from here. It’s playing now, so grab a friend, head to the cinema, and be ready to talk through every chilling moment afterward. Horror season is officially here, and if this is just the beginning, well, we in for something rell special.