Zach Cregger’s Weapons: when horror and comedy meet perfectly

From the director of “Barbarian” (2022), “Weapons” has been one of the most anticipated movies of the year. As possibly the biggest “Barbarian” fan there is, I knew when I saw the trailer for Zach Cregger’s new film a few months back, I had to see it, and I do not regret my decision in the slightest. 

“Weapons” tells the story of a questioning community reeling from the simultaneous disappearance of 17 kids from the same classroom, leaving only one remaining. It perfectly combines horror with comedy as the anxiety of wanting to know what happens next will leave you fighting to not cover your eyes, and the humor sprinkled throughout will have you forgetting it’s scary at all, but only briefly. 

The theater experience was one of the best I have ever had, and if you have the chance to see it on the big screen, I highly recommend it. Its runtime is over 2 hours, and I am not the biggest fan of long movies, but when I was watching it did not feel that long at all.

My favorite part of the film is getting multiple character points of view. A few scenes repeat during different characters' points of view, but it was done in a way that wasn’t boring and didn't necessarily feel repetitive. 

James, a young drug addict, was the highlight character for me. He had me attempting to quiet my laughter throughout the whole film. 

The focus on the young boy, Alex Lilly, who was the only remaining student not to disappear, brought an emotional aspect to the movie that I appreciated.

Never throughout the entire film did I know where it was going. There were so many twists and turns, and the different character points of view added to that. I was always shocked at the next scene, especially in the last 30 minutes. 

Despite the comedy, jumpscares and anxiety that the movie brought, my ultimate favorite part was when AJ, one of the main characters in Cregger’s “Barbarian,” made a short cameo. I nearly jumped out of my seat, embarrassingly so. 

After viewing, I decided on a 4 and a half star rating for the movie. I am still sitting on the rating, and I may end up changing it to 5 stars, depending on how much I continue to think about it. I do not see it as a movie I can rewatch because I was pretty spooked throughout it, and a rewatch just would not compare, but that almost makes it even better.

Overall, the movie lived up to the hype it has been getting over the past few months, and I am glad I had the opportunity to see it in theaters. If you are looking for a movie that will have you on the edge of your seat, eyes covered, while also making you giggle, “Weapons” is the one for you.