The truth is that in recent years horror cinema has declined… Soulless and weak creations that try to deliver cheap scares to their audiences, filling the film with cheap jump scares while neglecting suspense, mystery, atmosphere, and—most importantly—the ability to touch the viewer’s soul through fear.
This year, however, it seems to be the year of horror cinema, which has returned powerfully with thoroughly excellent works.
One of them is Weapons.
The film has a bit of everything in it, and maybe that’s what makes it special. Violence, mystery, atmosphere, black humor, suspense, and terror—all balanced in the right doses, none of them feeling forced in a way that would pull the viewer out of the mood. What’s especially interesting here is the black humor, which may feel odd to some at certain points, but if we consider where and why the director chose to insert it, it makes incredibly clear and fitting sense. For example, in the final “chase” scene, it’s sharply framed as if seen by someone outside the event, witnessing everything unfold before their eyes (like the man watering his garden—and here there’s also a second layer of meaning I’ll touch on later). This random bystander could be anyone—even us.
The directing and writing are nothing short of flawless. It starts by building the film’s world after the initial incident has already occurred. We’re introduced to the main characters and what each of them is doing in parallel, with the narrative focusing on a different one each time, and in the end, all their paths converge masterfully. The film’s pacing doesn’t let you relax. It may keep you on edge with mystery and unanswered questions, then suddenly hit you with horror. Right after that, it will drop in a small, seemingly silly but perfectly placed moment of humor to let you breathe—only to catch you off guard again with a new, raw reminder that you’re watching a horror film and shouldn’t let your guard down.
As for violence, they didn’t hold back… Not in how graphic it was, but in how uncomfortably it made you feel with what was shown, making you catch yourself clenching in your seat. The same goes for the horror. They didn’t waste it on cheap jump scares, but on deeply unsettling situations—scenes that, if you saw them with your own eyes, might make you want to say goodbye to this world from sheer terror alone (e.g., the scene with the door, the car, and the hair…).
But the film doesn’t want to stop at surface-level horror or raw violence. It aims much deeper, and that’s tied to the meaning of its title: Weapons. Here, the “weapons” are the children. Beneath what we see on screen, the film is speaking about children and their exploitation/weaponization by adults, as well as the normalization of violence in American society. The central thread of the story is the children who go missing—but especially the one who remains. Around them, we see how the adults react: some ignore them, some use them, and only a very few genuinely care for them. We see how easily adults prioritize their personal goals and desires over the children, with violence dominating society as a normalized, indifferent, and often first-choice solution for several of the protagonists facing difficult situations.
I won’t say much about the performances—they were all excellent. But one stood out by far: Amy Madigan as Gladys. Incredibly terrifying and chilling, every scene she appeared in stole the spotlight and left viewers uneasy. She’s a character who, even if “normal,” you wouldn’t want near you (a wink at how people judge others by appearance? Perhaps…). All the more so near your child. Even her heavy makeup and her distinctive clothing had purpose: to make her look like something foreign, something that doesn’t belong here… not in that “quiet” provincial town, not even in this world.
I really liked this movie. It was kind of a slow burn in the beginning, but it kept you hooked, and then a satisfying payoff at the end.
Yes a great year for the horror genre!
So great! Lots of good horror flicks this years, and so many yet to be released. Excited!
I will recommend you to watch the conjuring 2013 which is mind blowing mystery horror movies, I watch it and then feels that something is behind me 😂😂
Yeah I have watched it it definitely was a really good thriller movie
Oohh, I just finished watching this movie,, my daughter recommended it to me.. I love it when I can't predict the ending.. 😁
Something that it is rare this days !
True 👍🏻
Sending you Ecency love
