Weapons (2025)

It's 2:17 AM. Everyone is asleep. Suddenly, almost every single child from Ms. Gandy's third grade class gets up out of their beds, arms outstretched at their sides, and flees from their own homes and into the night.

The opening sequence of Weapons is notable for its economy, strong imagery, vocal narration, and ominous atmosphere. The image of a single child sitting in an otherwise empty classroom on a "normal" day is deeply unsettling. Going forward, Weapons offers a fragmented, non-linear version of events which creates opportunities for drama and characterization.

But this also meant occasional narrative drudgery, or worse, being taken away suddenly from moments that provoked high viewer investment. These narrative lulls and shifts remain integral parts of the film's structure but they come with some unintended consequences.

For example, the first section of the film feels fairly uneventful, even by Act I standards. Things become more compelling as our characters collide, but some screentime still feels misplaced or wasted.

The story improves immensely as the audience's patience is rewarded and they learn more about the circumstances of the night of the disappearances. The answers are all satisfying, so much so that they provoke more questions. It is best that most of these questions remain unanswered, but they are a testament to the ingenuity behind Gladys' simple lore.

The performance in the finale by Amy Madigan and the group of children was a delightfully chaotic stampede, offering mayhem by the gigaton. The cinematography is creative and kinetic, tracking the children closely as they pursue our villain. This sequence involved extended, complex choreography, and it was well executed by all. This is especially notable for Amy Madigan as a senior performer; her contributions to the physicality of the sequence are significant.

On another positive note, the cast performs well across the board. Amy Madigan as Gladys telegraphs a strange and sinister spirit from the moment we lay eyes on her in her idiosyncratic dress. As the film progresses, she manages to elevate the character to embodying pure evil in the torment of Gladys’ captives.

The reviewer did note some strange moments in the film. First, the giant gun in the sky, which felt like a visual meant to speak to the stupidest audience members. Second was the line "someone is weaponizing people,” an example of title dropping so on the nose that the nose was left bloody and broken.

For all the flak given, this film is not an experience any horror fan should pass up. Atmospheric, strong in premise and performances, and keeping you wondering, Weapons stands well above its genre peers.