“Weapons” Review – A Horror Masterpiece or A Disappointing Thriller?

“WEAPONS” Synopsis:

When all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.

Since the first teaser was released for “Weapons” the hype train started to roll full steam down the tracks. The trailer promised a deep mystery thriller full of suspense and terror. So the question now is, did the movie deliver on that promise?

Here at Nerd Initiative, we value different opinions of art. That’s why we are going to have two different takes in this review. Our Movies/TV Lead Editor, Matt and our Executive Produce, Derek will break down what worked and did not work for each of them. You, our dear reader, can chime in on if you agree in the comments below!

What Worked:

Derek – For me, there are more than a few things about “Weapons” that worked. The overall tone of the film was fantastic. Separating out the story in glimpses of characters working through the grief and trauma of the events of the film was a stroke of genius from the filmmakers. Setting up the story in small chunks lent a sense of foreboding and suspense that worked incredibly well for the first two acts.

Each segment built on the last, slowly unveiling the story and working the audience up to a breaking point of wanting to find out what happened to the kids. To help set that tone, the cinematography helped bring the story to life with long imposing establishing shots, intense closeups, and quick camera movements that made each jump scare effective.

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On top of the overall tone, the acting in this movie was near perfection. Julia Garner and Josh Brolin carried the emotional weight of the subject material effortlessly, and Alden Ehrenrich and Austin Abrams turned in wonderfully manic performances.

However, the two standouts of this one for me were Cary Christopher and Amy Madigan. This movie was always going to live or die based on the believability of these two roles. Thankfully both Christopher and Madigan were amazing on screen, bringing the fear of this movie full circle in the twisted relationship between this young boy and his evil great-aunt.

Matt – I enjoyed the various points of view that we were given and how they all ultimately intersected cleverly. The linear method that we run with helps add an intense amount of mystery. It adds to a story that was already shrouded in an immense amount of mystery and uniqueness. As the story progresses, it adds layers of tension and a feeling that something is creeping up behind us, even though we have no clue what. Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, and Cary Christopher were three of my standouts for this film, as their level of acting provided the needed tension that was building throughout.

Of course, Amy Madigan is no slouch herself as Aunt Gladys. She brings this over the top level of cheerfulness with just the right amount of fake that every time she is on screen. You cannot help but be sucked in and wait for the other shoe to drop. While this is a horror and suspenseful film, some moments did bring an uneasy feeling of laughter. Prime example is as Benedict Wong bolting across town to his untimely demise.

The climax of the film is one of hilarity and yet unsettling all at the same time. Shoutout to the camera work as we see the gang of children chasing down Gladys and particularly one child we follow as she smashes through windows and doors in what ends with a scene out of a Romero zombie film.

What Didn’t Work:

Derek –While I have many good things to say about this movie, they can’t outweigh the damage the third act did to the film. While the first two acts were working towards a singular goal of uncovering a mystery and seeing a community’s reaction to grief, the third act turned into a strange comedic farce. It completely undermined the entire movie. I understand that director Zach Cregger got his start in comedy and that his last film, “Barbarian” leaned more into a comedic horror movie. However, this film was not marketed or tonally leaning toward comedy.

The final act of this film gave up on the suspenseful tone and gave way to silly action and outright laughable interactions. Amy Madigan’s end, which should have been a cathartic release for the characters and the audience, played out like a cartoon. Instead of seeing the villain taken down in a satisfying fashion, we had to sit through a five minute chase scene as an old woman ran away from 8 year-olds breaking through glass and breaking down doors just to rip her apart in someone’s front lawn.

During the first two thirds of “Weapons” I was on the edge of my seat, happily being drawn into the story. By the time that the credits rolled, I had completely forgotten the excitement and suspense that I felt during the majority of the runtime.

Matt – Derek is on his own because I don’t have a single thing in this film that did not work for me, aside from the fact that these people need to learn to unlock doors, and maybe we don’t unzip tents without announcing ourselves.

Overall Grade: 8/10

Derek – 6.5/10 .”Weapons” had the potential to be one of the best horror/thrillers of all time. However, the director simply could not get away from his comedy roots to bring it home in a satisfying way for me. So, instead of an all time great, this is just a mid level thriller that I will, more than likely, forget quickly. Check Out More From Derek HERE

Matt – 9.5/10. This is a film that is being highly touted and with good reason. It’s a unique plot told from various perspectives that gives the audience an uneasy feeling throughout. It builds suspense and has just the right amount of comedy mixed in with stomach-churning gore that makes this a top 3 film of the year for me, and one you must check out!

“Weapons” is in theaters now and, like all movies, we suggest that you check it out for yourself and let us know what you think. Is there something you liked or disliked that we didn’t mention? We want to know your thoughts. Make sure you get involved in the conversation in the comments below! This has been a review by Matt of Hops ‘Geek’ News, to find more, head to http://linktr.ee/hopsgeeknews