Funny, spooky ‘Weapons’ is locked and loaded
You’d expect a film titled “Weapons” to unleash a barrage of heavy artillery. And sure enough, that’s exactly what you get. But not in the way you might think. Sure, a Glock or two may make a cameo, but the damage inflicted upon a formerly sleepy community is far more sinister and insidious. And that potentially lethal armament, my friends, is distrust. I know, it’s not the most terrifying premise for a horror-thriller. But damned if it doesn’t give you the willies.
I’ll even go so far as to say that what writer-director Zach Cregger delivers in the form of suspicion and presumption is more heart-pounding than a straight-up slasher flick. At times, he has you forgetting to breathe. And at others, covering your eyes. Not because of gore, although there are several bloodied and dismembered bodies, but because you’re embarrassed for characters so ensconced inside their bubbles that they automatically assume the worst about everyone, including their neighbors, even the woman tasked with teaching their kids right and wrong.
Yes, “Weapons” says a lot about our current way of life, where trust is as passe as bobby socks and poodle skirts. For me, that was more disturbing than the circumstance of 17 third-graders suddenly vanishing into the night. It sure is an attention-grabber, though. Where did they go? Why did they all rise at precisely 2:17 a.m. and dash out of their front doors, possibly to never be seen again? Intriguing, sure, but that’s merely bait for the bigger fish Cregger seeks to fry.
All you can be certain of is Cregger’s apparent delight in screwing with your head, consistently tripping you up when you think you have him and his movie figured out. If I were you, I wouldn’t go to the trouble of speculating. It’s not worth the effort. Instead, just concentrate and absorb all you see and hear, as Cregger invites us on a wild ride in which the less you know, the better. So, no spoilers from me, just a basic outline of the participants and how his film is structured.
It begins a month after the disappearance, with an assemblage of townsfolk voicing their anger and frustration over the stalled investigation. In attendance are the half-dozen key characters whose overlapping stories are told from various frames of reference, often in unexpected ways, much like last year’s criminally underseen “Strange Darling.” And its always done with the expressed purpose of advancing the story in measured increments.
Cregger (“Barbarian”) starts with Justine (Julia Garner), the missing children’s teacher and resident pariah. She’s chased from the meeting hall by a pitchfork brigade that’s decided she’s the real-life incarnation of the Pied Piper, a “witch,” if you will, who hates kids despite evidence to the contrary.
Her story of near-constant harassment segues into that of Archer (Josh Brolin), the impatient father of one of the missing students. He thinks he can do a better job investigating than the poky cops. And his prime suspect is Justine. And why not? He’s privy to her checkered past and tendency to drown her sorrows in alcohol. One of her drinking buddies, with benefits, is John (Aiden Ehrenreich), a beat cop on the outs with his spouse. One night, he runs into Justine at, where else, a bar. The next thing you know, she’s playing him Nilsson’s “Gotta Get Up” the following morning.
Later that day, Paul has a run-in with a comically inept crackhead named Anthony (Austin Abrams), a bit of an artful dodger who begs, steals and borrows to obtain his next fix. Paul’s attempted arrest doesn’t go well, but his error may prove fruitful – or fatal – later on. Next up is Marcus (Benedict Wong), the clueless school principal who suddenly starts behaving quite strangely after taking a meeting with Gladys (a delightfully creepy Amy Madigan), a very peculiar old woman who happens to be the visiting auntie of Alex (Cary Christopher), the lone student from Justine’s class who didn’t walk off into the ether.
Might Alex be the lynchpin? More intriguing, why does Gladys prefer her water served in a bowl instead of a glass? And what’s with her obsession with canned soup? You’ll have to wait and see, but certainly, Campbell won’t be looking to make her the face of its product anytime soon.
You will, however, gobble up the breadcrumbs Cregger sprinkles along the way, drawing you deeper into the best story Stephen King never penned. While it’s true that “Strange Darling” writer-director JT Mollner beat Cregger to the punch with the idea of switching perspectives to toy with the expectations of his audience, the latter actually bests him by being more ambitious. The seamless way in which Cregger weaves the characters’ stories together is impressive, cleverly creating situations in which the seven principals regularly cross paths, but from vastly different vantage points. Sometimes, those views can be from afar, or as close as peeping inside a window, or even breaking into a home.
Above all, his film is keen in its observation of flawed characters who play fast and loose with the meaning of trust and the degree to which it can backfire when misplaced. Justine is by far the most honest and compassionate, but she’s not the wholesome schoolmarm she’d like to think. Just ask John’s wife (June Diane Raphael). Nor is John without sin, nor Anthony, nor Archer, nor Gladys. Only sweet little, adorable Alex seems pure. But don’t be so sure.
The acting is sensational across the board, particularly Garner and Madigan, who flat out steals the movie with her bizarro portrayal of the grotesque Gladys. But highest kudos go to the guys and gals behind the camera who’ve created a perfect amalgamation of sound, make-up, set decoration and most of all, cinematography. I love how Cregger fittingly shoots mostly in shadow to enhance the murkiness of the surroundings and to accentuate the even darker interiors of his characters.
I also can’t overstate how funny “Weapons” can be, especially late in the third act, when Cregger pulls out all the stops and goes full-on crazy. And you’re loving every minute of it. Conventional, it most certainly is not. But fun? It’s a three-ring circus of unbridled mayhem, which, true to its title, renders “Weapons” a 20-megaton blast.
Movie review
Weapons
Rated: R for strong bloody violence and grisly images, language throughout, some sexual content and drug use
Cast: Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, Aiden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, Cary Christopher, Amy Madigan and Benedict Wong
Director: Zach Cregger
Writer: Zach Cregger
Runtime: 128 minutes
Where: In theaters Aug. 8
Grade: B+
