Zach Cregger has been in the entertainment business for over twenty years, but it was his first feature film, Barbarian, that really got him into the spotlight. The 2002 horror movie that was written and directed by Cregger starred Georgina Campbell (Lovely, Dark and Deep), Bill Skarsgård (It), and Justin Long (Tusk). It was a critical and box office success, earning $45 million on a $4.5 million budget. It was only a matter of time before Cregger's sophomore film, Weapons, made its way to theaters, and after another successful box office run, Warner Bros. has made it available for purchase on Blu-ray and 4K.
In the quiet town of Maybrook, Pennsylvania, nothing much happens until an entire classroom of third graders leave their homes at 2:17 am and disappear. Out of 18 children in Ms. Gandy's (Julia Garner; The Fantastic Four: First Steps) class, only Alex (Cary Christopher; Days of Our Lives) remains, but he doesn't know anything. When the parents start blaming Ms. Gandy for their children's disappearances, she is put on leave with pay and barred from contacting Alex. However, against her Principal's orders, she follows Alex home to find some very strange things happening at his house, and that is just the beginning of the nightmare.
Cregger has proven he can write and direct an interesting and suspenseful horror movie, and knowing Weapons was born out of personal tragedy for him makes it even more intriguing. He may have just found his true calling, and if he can keep turning out blockbuster successes like his first two films, he will have any studio he chooses begging to work with him. His use of wide shots interlaced with closer ones makes his films seem grand yet intimate all at once.
The cast is also well chosen, which lends believability to Cregger's characters. Garner portrays Gandy with a mix of inner strength and vulnerability all at the same time, which is a difficult thing to do. Josh Brolin (Avengers: Endgame) plays Archer, one of the parents whose son is missing. He does whatever he can to antagonize Ms. Gandy, and he is perfect for the role. Christopher is very well cast and does a great job for such a young age. Supporting cast members Benedict Wong (Dr. Strange) and Amy Madigan (Field of Dreams) round out a terrific group of actors.
The 4K presentation is stunning with depth and shadows showing plenty of details and daylight scenes that are vibrant. The 2160p resolution and 2.39:1 aspect ratio are superb, offering a wonderful display of colors and shading. I don't think this movie has ever looked better.
The Dolby Atmos Audio is warm and layered, giving the film an even more sinister feel than simply by video presentation alone. Dialogue is clean and crisp and sits comfortably in the front speak using the entire height range. Ambient sounds and the score utilize the entire range of the sound system, giving a full experience.
Unfortunately, the combo pack only includes less than 30 minutes of extras, and while they are informative, I feel as though they were added as an afterthought and not a fleshed-out feature of the physical media release. The extras include: Director Zach Cregger: Making Horror Personal, Weaponized: The Cast of Weapons, and Weapons: Texture of Terror.
Weapons is a solid horror movie that, along with Barbarian, is bound to make Cregger a household name. I enjoyed how he told the story from various characters' perspectives, but I wish he had explained Gladys more. I wanted to know why the children healed, what the power of the tree was, was she really related to Alex, etc. Regardless of these missing plot points, the movie has terrific effects, a great cast, and keeps the viewer engaged.
Grade: B+
