“Those kids walked out of those homes. No one pulled them out. No one forced them. What do you see that I don’t?” This is what the sheriff of Maybrook remarks to Archer, a father hopelessly in search of his son. One morning, at 2:17 AM, 17 young children sprint out of their houses into the dark night. Their arms are splayed out in an inverted V shape, and their shadows paint the walls of the houses as they pass. This uncanny scene takes place within five minutes of the movie’s beginning, and instantly, I was hooked. Why is this happening? Why are all of the kids in the same class? Weapons then follows the lives of people impacted by the bizarre night, some desperately searching for an explanation, others going into downward spirals in search of their children. After its first scene, the movie continues to dive deeper into an insane conspiracy surrounding the mysterious disappearances.
The movie then pumps into high gear, showing the perspectives of six people that live in the unlucky town, their stories seemingly unconnected at first. We start off following the teacher of the missing kids, Justine, as she is harassed by understandably desperate parents looking to her for answers. She’s constantly called a witch, and while all this goes on, she struggles with loneliness and the grief of losing her entire class in a bizarre incident. Next, a student named Alex, who is bullied by his classmates often, is the only student who did not spontaneously streak out of his house. Justine obviously suspects Alex of having something to do with the disappearances, following him back home from school in the weeks that follow the disappearances. Soon after, the perspective shifts to that of Archer (played by Josh Brolin), a gritty father who doesn’t accept the answers that everyone has given him. He lost his son in the disappearances and aims his anger towards Justine in grief. He studies the Ring camera footage of that unexplainable night, desperately searching for just one clue that might lead him to an answer. The switching perspective creates a vivid image and dynamic for Maybrook, with some scenes repeating more than once in different points of view.
Within a runtime of roughly two hours, Zach Cregger is able to vibrantly create a fictional town full of people who pull you in with their intriguing motives. Weapons is a movie about grief and how different people deal with it, and the different chapters in the movie really help to highlight these contrasts. With that said, even if you’re just looking for some enjoyment after a long day, Weapons is definitely still worth a watch. The rewarding twists and turns will bless those watchers with a Reels-induced demand for dopamine, and the final scene will make your jaw drop. If it doesn’t, you’re probably insane. An instant classic, Weapons is the perfect Halloween watch this year.
