What would it be like if Paul Thomas Anderson made a horror movie?
It's an intriguing notion that sits in the back of your head while watching Zach Cregger's supernatural mystery horror 'Weapons'.
Cregger's film may not be an Anderson movie but it's got a multi layered narrative that tells its horror story from several perspectives.
The central premise is what happens to a community when all but one child in a third grade class disappear overnight?
The class in question is taught by Julia Garner's Justine Gandy in the Pennsylvanian town of Maybrook.
With no obvious explanation for the children's disappearance, wild conspiracy theories abound.
Josh Brolin's angry parent Archer Graff leads unproven accusations that Justine must have had a central role.
As the town starts to look at Justine for some kind of explanation, uncomfortable truths start to surface about her past and her messy personal life.
This impacts Alden Ehrenreich's married cop Paul Morgan and gives the school principal, Benedict Wong's Marcus Miller cause for concern.
Justine is puzzled as to why just one pupil, Cary Christopher's Alex Lilly didn't disappear and is keen to understand it.
Marcus is also slightly unsettled by having to increasingly deal with Amy Madigan's Gladys, an eccentric older woman who says she is Alex's older relative.
What writer director Cregger concocts is a genuinely unsettling supernatural horror tale that could easily have been penned by Stephen King.
'Weapons' is much more than that, though.
It's a multi-layered character study a la Anderson or Robert Altman, with intersecting events in much the same manner as Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's 'Amores Perros'.
Certain scenes are seen from different characters' perspectives.
And if it hadn't been for Ryan Coogler's multi-Oscar nominated, musical horror thrill ride 'Sinners,' there might have been a lot more noise about 'Weapons' this awards season and its fresh take on the supernatural mystery.
The film would certainly have deserved that kind of attention as it is thrillingly directed by Cregger who, along with his cinematographer Larkin Swipe, has a good eye for striking imagery.
It is intelligently stitched together top by film editor Joe Murphy.
Garner, Brolin, Ehrenreich, Wong, Christopher, Toby Huss as the mystified police chief and Austin Abrams as James, a homeless heroin addict who crosses paths with Paul, turn in very strong performances.
And the ever so slight Best Supporting Actress Oscar favourite Amy Madigan relishes the chance to eye roll im the movie's showiest role.
It's a huge compliment to say 'Weapons' feels like it could have been created by Stephen King.
Bit now Cregger has one hell of a task ahead of him - trying to better a smart movie that is fantastically entertaining.
('Weapons' was released in UK and Irish cinemas on August 8, 2025)
Comments
Post a Comment