Zach Cregger’s Weapons is a masterclass in genre defiance, a film that weaves a chilling horror mystery with the raw emotional weight of communal grief. Following his audacious 2022 debut Barbarian, Cregger proves he’s no one-hit wonder, delivering a sophomore feature that’s dark exploration of human desperation. Set in the fictional town of Maybrook, the film centers on the inexplicable disappearance of 17 third-graders from Justine Gandy’s (Julia Garner) classroom, who, at 2:17 a.m., ran into the night with arms outstretched like eerie, childlike airplanes. This unsettling premise sets the stage for a narrative that’s as much about societal fractures as it is about supernatural dread.
Cregger’s storytelling is structured in character-driven chapters that shift perspectives among a grieving father, Archer Graff (Josh Brolin), a troubled teacher, Justine, a flawed cop, Paul (Alden Ehrenreich), a desperate junkie, James (Austin Abrams), and the sole remaining student, Alex (Cary Christopher). This Magnolia-esque approach keeps viewers off-balance, revealing new layers of the mystery through each character’s lens. The fragmented timeline isn’t just a stylistic flex; it mirrors the shattered community of Maybrook, where suspicion and blame fester like wounds. The result is a film that feels like a puzzle, not to be solved but to be felt, as each piece amplifies the collective trauma.
Julia Garner’s Justine is the film’s beating heart, a flawed yet fiercely empathetic figure whose performance carries the weight of a woman scapegoated by a town desperate for answers. I’ve been a huge fan of Garner’s for years, she is so dedicated to her characters and brings so much authenticity to her roles. Garner balances vulnerability and defiance, making Justine’s heartbreak so much more believable. Josh Brolin, as Archer, delivers a performance of quiet devastation, his stoic exterior cracking under the weight of loss and regret. Brolin is also outstanding in this, and he’s another actor I’ve enjoyed watching time after time.
Visually, Weapons is a triumph, thanks to cinematographer Larkin Seiple’s dynamic camerawork. From claustrophobic close-ups that trap you in a character’s panic to sweeping shots of Maybrook’s deceptively idyllic streets, Seiple’s lens amplifies the film’s unease. Cregger’s script is a tightrope walk between horror and mystery. Cregger’s refusal to overexplain the mystery respects the audience’s intelligence, letting the unknown fuel the terror.
Weapons is a film that thrives on its unpredictability, keeping audiences guessing until its final, blood-soaked frame. Unlike Barbarian, which leaned on a single shocking twist, Weapons builds its tension through a slow, sadistic unraveling, each chapter peeling back another layer of Maybrook’s nightmare. As a horror experience, Weapons is best seen in a theater, where the collective gasps of an audience amplify its impact. The film’s refusal to tie up every loose end may frustrate some, but it’s a bold choice that keeps the story’s dread alive long after the lights come up.
Weapons cements Zach Cregger as one of horror’s most vital voices. It’s a film that’s equal parts terrifying, and heartbreaking, a twisted tapestry of human fragility and supernatural horror. Strap in, keep your arms inside the vehicle, and prepare for a ride that’s as unsettling as it is unforgettable.
Weapons is out now at Luna Palace Cinemas.
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