Review: Weapons

Official synopsis: When the children from Ms. Gandy's class (Julia Garner) mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.

I've talked on this blog several times about my love for the former comedy troupe The Whitest Kids U'Know and how one of the members, Zach Cregger has turned into a very interesting horror director with his last feature, Barbarian. Needless to say, I was always going to be seated for this.

First, I have to say the marketing for this film has been incredible and I wish more studios would take note. One trailer, perfectly explains the synopsis, and doesn't give anything away. That's how you're meant to into every mystery movie.

There's a lot of subtle and not so subtle foreshadowing for where there children went, but it doesn't make the road to get there any less fun. Cregger continues to do a great job building dread while still throwing in bits of his humor here and there. There's a scene when Josh Brolin's character wakes up from a nightmare and his reaction is so much more believable (and hilarious) than we see in most movies. 

The actors involved are all very good. The film is told in sections, each from a different character's point of view. Any overlap of scenes goes by very quickly so we're not stuck watching the same thing over and over. Garner, Brolin and Benedict Wong were my favorites. Plus I have to give a huge shot out to Cary Christopher, a young actor who plays one of the students. He does an excellent job. 

I hate to say there's a "but" here, but I LOVED this movie all the way up until the last 5 minutes. I think the ending really undercuts the rest of the film, and it made me look back at it and start thinking about what they could've cut in other places to give time to flesh that out instead. That's not something I want to be thinking about leaving this. I only want too think about the most hilarious shot in a film I've seen all year. 

Still, this is absolutely worth your theater money, just know the ending is going to be divisive. 

Grade: B