Weapons

Story: When 17 kids from the same class mysteriously disappear from their homes on the same night except for one student (Alex) and the teacher (Julia Garner as Justine), the bewildered town seeks answers.

Review: While both survivors face scrutiny, Justine becomes the prime suspect. How did the kids vanish into thin air! Who’s behind these bizarre disappearances?

This gripping small town mystery is like nothing you have seen before. Shocking at every turn, it never gets predictable. Very rarely do you come across a horror film that’s smartly layered, deeply unsettling, dark and amusing, all at once. Weapons ticks all the boxes. Be it the isolated setting, camera work or performances, you feel as much a part of this eerie mystery as the characters.

Eerily hynotic, wildly unhinged and chilling to the bone — this brilliantly written small-town mystery is madness wrapped in genius. Zach Cregger’s Weapons is perhaps the best horror film of the year for a reason. It doesn’t succumb to any horror tropes and establishes its own cinematic language, pace and style. Even when the storytelling evokes unintentional and awkward humor, terror remains unshakable. Fear never loosens its hold on you. This is something that Ari Aster (Hereditary and Midsommar) and Jordan Peele (Get Out, Nope) have achieved over the years in this genre. Weapons stands tall in this league of twisted thrillers and will be remembered for a long time.

Unique and absolutely terrifying from beginning to end, Weapons unfolds like a suspenseful riddle keeping you on the edge throughout. While the story in itself is intriguing, it’s the clever storytelling and unfolding of events that take the cake. A gorgeous blend of crime thriller, mystery and horror, Cregger entraps you in his insane world and you enjoy it there. The climax in particular is a cherry on top.

Very rarely do great buildups lead to satisfying payoffs. Weapons achieves that. It’s tense, dark and delirious thrill ride that you shouldn’t miss out on.