“Weapons” Missed the Bullseye in the Back Half

What would happen if a classroom of 17 third-grade students disappeared from their homes in the middle of the night? “Weapons,” directed by Zach Cregger, explores this concept to the fullest.

A follow-up to his 2022 directorial debut “Barbarian,” “Weapons” once again mixes drama, suspense, horror, and comedy in an absurdly unexpected way.

“Weapons” is a fresh breath in non-linear storytelling. Events from the perspectives of different people in the fictional town of Maybrook, Pennsylvania, converge as the full picture reveals itself.

Like a puzzle, these different narratives unlock a piece of the mystery, only to be revealed when all characters meet.

The drama and performances from the main cast in the first two acts of the movie really shine. Suspense builds through the increasingly odd experiences, and you can really feel the tension and paranoia from these people, all searching for answers about the disappearing kids.

Unfortunately, the climax and resolution were just slightly underwhelming. The built-up suspense and terror reach a plateau, and the story ditches the elements of horror and paranoia.

The final twenty minutes of the movie are undoubtedly an entertaining watch; however, the movie concludes with an absurdly zany sequence leaning way more into comedy than anything else.

“Weapons” is an amazing movie, worth watching if and only if you aren’t expecting an eerie and spine-chilling horror mystery.

While the elements of horror and mystery are very well done in the movie, it is certainly not a scary movie (minus a few jump scares). It builds on its captivating premise well, offering a refreshing and unique take on the genre.