Weapons, the latest from Zach Cregger – the twisted talent behind Barbarian – is a horror movie with a rictus grin, cleverly wrong-footing and squirming until it lays its cards on the table and delivers an uproarious finale.
The premise is almost maddeningly simple: in the quiet town of Maybrook, at precisely 2:17 a.m., seventeen children from the same class walk out of their homes and vanish into the night. Only one, Alex Lilly, is still sitting dutifully at his desk the next morning when teacher Justine Gandy arrives.
As the police investigation spins its wheels, suspicion falls on the young teacher, until one of the parents, played with convincing gravitas by Josh Brolin, begins to suspect something stranger, and far more terrifying, is at play.
But if there’s a star beyond the stars, it’s Larkin Seiple’s cinematography…
Brolin’s distraught performance anchors the film, while Julia Garner delivers a beautifully layered turn as teacher Gandy, shifting from shell-shocked disbelief to something sharper as the walls close in.
Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, Cary Christopher, Benedict Wong, and Amy Madigan round out a cast, never chewing the scenery, more carefully negotiating it lest something fearful jumps out of the darkness.
But if there’s a star beyond the stars, it’s Larkin Seiple’s cinematography: a parade of eerie, moonlit images that will stick in your head for days. Paired with a tense score from Ryan Holladay, Hays Holladay, and Cregger himself, the film’s atmosphere is so thick you could cut it with a knife.
Yes, Weapons is scary, but it’s also slyly funny in ways that keep you leaning forward rather than hiding behind your popcorn.
Speaking of popcorn, a quick aside: at the London preview screening, themed cocktails were on offer, and they’re worth replicating at home for a post-viewing debrief.
The Maybrook Meltdown – vodka, maraschino cherry, raspberries, pink grapefruit, cranberry, cherry bitters, saffron strings – is as lurid as it sounds. And the 2:17 AM Espresso Martini – Jamaican rum, coffee liqueur, Oloroso sherry, cold brew espresso, black walnut bitters – will keep you up long enough to wonder if that creak in the hallway is… well, best not to think about it.
In short, Weapons is that rare horror-thriller hybrid that delivers clever jolts, unapologetic laughs, and a couple of images you might wish you could unsee. Popcorn horror at its finest, and a reminder that Cregger knows exactly where to aim.
Weapons is directed by Zach Cregger, and stars Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, and Alden Ehrenreich.. 19, 128 minutes.
Samsung is teaming up with Star Trek for a 60th anniversary celebration that will turn parts of London into a holodeck for fans. Six decades after Star Trek: The Original Series first transported audiences into the final frontier, Samsung is joining the anniversary celebrations with a UK partnership spanning London, Paramount+, and retail. Samsung’s flagship…
Six decades after Vince Guaraldi Trio’s gentle piano and brushed percussion first accompanied Charlie Brown’s Christmas troubles, A Charlie Brown Christmas has become the best-selling jazz album of all time, certified 6X Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The achievement marks six million album sales and streaming equivalents in the US. The milestone…
London’s most famous music street is once again throwing open its doors, as Denmark Street Sessions returns for a full day of bands, banter, pop-ups and parties. Returning for a second year on Saturday September 5, the shindig brings live music, conversations and creative happenings back to one of London’s best known rock ‘n’ roll…
The Luxe Review 
Weapons, the latest from Zach Cregger – the twisted talent behind Barbarian – is a horror movie with a rictus grin, cleverly wrong-footing and squirming until it lays its cards on the table and delivers an uproarious finale.
The premise is almost maddeningly simple: in the quiet town of Maybrook, at precisely 2:17 a.m., seventeen children from the same class walk out of their homes and vanish into the night. Only one, Alex Lilly, is still sitting dutifully at his desk the next morning when teacher Justine Gandy arrives.
As the police investigation spins its wheels, suspicion falls on the young teacher, until one of the parents, played with convincing gravitas by Josh Brolin, begins to suspect something stranger, and far more terrifying, is at play.
Brolin’s distraught performance anchors the film, while Julia Garner delivers a beautifully layered turn as teacher Gandy, shifting from shell-shocked disbelief to something sharper as the walls close in.
Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, Cary Christopher, Benedict Wong, and Amy Madigan round out a cast, never chewing the scenery, more carefully negotiating it lest something fearful jumps out of the darkness.
But if there’s a star beyond the stars, it’s Larkin Seiple’s cinematography: a parade of eerie, moonlit images that will stick in your head for days. Paired with a tense score from Ryan Holladay, Hays Holladay, and Cregger himself, the film’s atmosphere is so thick you could cut it with a knife.
Yes, Weapons is scary, but it’s also slyly funny in ways that keep you leaning forward rather than hiding behind your popcorn.
Speaking of popcorn, a quick aside: at the London preview screening, themed cocktails were on offer, and they’re worth replicating at home for a post-viewing debrief.
The Maybrook Meltdown – vodka, maraschino cherry, raspberries, pink grapefruit, cranberry, cherry bitters, saffron strings – is as lurid as it sounds. And the 2:17 AM Espresso Martini – Jamaican rum, coffee liqueur, Oloroso sherry, cold brew espresso, black walnut bitters – will keep you up long enough to wonder if that creak in the hallway is… well, best not to think about it.
In short, Weapons is that rare horror-thriller hybrid that delivers clever jolts, unapologetic laughs, and a couple of images you might wish you could unsee. Popcorn horror at its finest, and a reminder that Cregger knows exactly where to aim.
Weapons is directed by Zach Cregger, and stars Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, and Alden Ehrenreich.. 19, 128 minutes.
Samsung turns flagship King’s Cross store into Star Trek central as franchise celebrates 60 Years
Samsung is teaming up with Star Trek for a 60th anniversary celebration that will turn parts of London into a holodeck for fans. Six decades after Star Trek: The Original Series first transported audiences into the final frontier, Samsung is joining the anniversary celebrations with a UK partnership spanning London, Paramount+, and retail. Samsung’s flagship…
How A Charlie Brown Christmas became the best-selling jazz album of all time
Six decades after Vince Guaraldi Trio’s gentle piano and brushed percussion first accompanied Charlie Brown’s Christmas troubles, A Charlie Brown Christmas has become the best-selling jazz album of all time, certified 6X Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The achievement marks six million album sales and streaming equivalents in the US. The milestone…
Free gigs, secret guests and late-night parties: Everything you need to know about this year’s Denmark Street Sessions
London’s most famous music street is once again throwing open its doors, as Denmark Street Sessions returns for a full day of bands, banter, pop-ups and parties. Returning for a second year on Saturday September 5, the shindig brings live music, conversations and creative happenings back to one of London’s best known rock ‘n’ roll…
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