Starring: Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, Alden Ehrenreich, Amy Madigan, Austin Abrams, Cary Christopher, Toby Huss, Benedict Wong
Written By: Zach Cregger
Directed By: Zach Cregger
Studio: Warner Bros
Buy On Amazon.com

The movie that a lot of people were raving about at the end of the summer season was Weapons. It’s the latest film from Zach Cregger (The Whitest Kids U’ Know, Wrecked). I was hesitant to watch it since horror isn’t my go-to genre, but I ended up liking it a lot!

The story is pretty simple: 17 kids disappear from Justine’s (Julia Garner) elementary class in the middle of the night, except for one. Everyone scrambles to figure out what happened, where the kids went, and if they’re still alive. One of the kids’ fathers, Archer (Josh Brolin), starts his own investigation, and eventually all the storylines collide around the missing children’s case.

I didn’t know what to expect going in. I’d read a lot of raves about it but didn’t know the plot or any details, so I went in blind. I didn’t expect the outcome, but I have to say it was one of the most satisfying endings for a villain in a long time. It’s refreshing to see such an original horror movie without an over-the-top bad guy. I said the same thing about The Black Phone, and now that has a sequel, but I hope Weapons stays a one-off.

Weapons definitely has a creepy factor. There’s some over-the-top gore, but what really drives the film is the suspense and mystery of what’s happening. The first time you watch it, you don’t know if there’ll be jump scares or something else entirely. I actually think it’ll be even better on a second viewing since you know what to expect. That’s how I view some horror movies anyway.

The movie also has some surprisingly funny moments. After Josh Brolin’s character wakes from a creepy dream, he yells, “WHAT THE FUCK?” which made me laugh because that’s exactly what I would’ve said too. There are also a few surreal, darkly funny moments where you can’t help but chuckle. Seeing people lose their minds like zombies is both amusing and unsettling. Brolin and Garner are excellent, but Alden Ehrenreich and Amy Madigan (who’s almost unrecognizable at first) also deliver great performances.

The 4K release includes three featurettes. The best one focuses on making the movie personal, as Zach Cregger talks about writing and directing Weapons after the tragic death of his best friend and fellow comedian, Trevor Moore. He also weaves in themes from his upbringing around alcoholism, and it’s fascinating to hear how those experiences shaped the film. The other two featurettes are fine, but that first one stands out.

If you’re looking for an original, creepy horror movie that rewards multiple viewings, look no further than Weapons. It’s out now on 4K, Blu-ray, DVD, and all that jazz.

Features:
Director Zach Cregger: Making Horror Personal
Weaponized: The Cast of Weapons
Weapons: Texture of Terror (6:49)

Video:
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)
HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Audio:
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1
Audio descriptive

Subtitles:
English SDH, French, Spanish

Bottom Line: Surprisingly a good horror thriller!
Running Time: 128 mins
Rating: R
Extras Rating:
Overall Rating: