In the dead of night, an entire class of school children save one inexplicably goes missing at the exact same time. The surrounding community is shaken to its core by the disappearance and attempts to make sense of the mystery. Who is behind the abduction, and what do they want? All will be revealed in Weapons.

Julia Garner plays Justine, the children’s troubled yet compassionate teacher, whose life is thrown into disarray following their disappearance. She’s seen as the case’s most likely suspect by many community members. One of them is Josh Brolin’s Archer, a gruff contractor and father of a missing boy. Both pursue their own investigations into what caused the disappearance, which is eventually revealed to be a mystical, malevolent force.

Writer and director Zach Cregger delivers another wonderful horror/thriller film with Weapons, proving that 2022’s Barbarian was no fluke. Like that earlier film, Weapons is consistently tense and suspenseful. Cregger has a savvy flair for pacing, ratcheting up the stakes throughout but also knowing when to cut the tension with delicious doses of camp.

Weapons is not exactly what I would call a deep film, as its themes remain nebulous and thinly sketched at best. Much of its in-universe mythology also often raises more questions than answers.

What it lacks in thematic complexity and internal logic, however, it makes up for in style. Harnessing the gloomy photography by Larkin Seiple, jarring editing from Joe Murphy and an ominous sound design, Cregger pulls off a powerfully unsettling and dreamlike mood piece.

On top of this, Weapons also features a terrific cast who are each given their chance to shine. While Garner and Brolin arguably provide the film with most of its emotional heft, they are far from the only highlights. Having hopefully left Han Solo behind, Alden Ehrenreich gives a fantastic performance as Paul, a volatile cop trying to stay sober. Benedict Wong is equally good as Marcus. Playing the principal of the children’s school, he’s completely credible as a rumpled bureaucrat desperately attempting to mitigate the fallout. And Austin Abrams brings unexpectedly bizarre yet effective humor to his role as James, a hardcore addict who discovers a critical clue in the case. 

But the most striking performance belongs to Amy Madigan as Aunt Gladys, a malicious and supernatural figure who may be key to solving the mystery. A fixture of Hollywood for nearly five decades, Madigan is an old pro with nearly 100 credits to her name. She calls upon this collective experience to create probably one of the most colorful and memorable cinematic characters of the year. Although some of this comes down to the distinctive costuming by Trish Summerville, Madigan’s work can’t really be minimized. She rises to meet the unique contours of Cregger’s script, embracing the camp but never losing sight of Gladys’ cold, ruthless indifference.

Echoing the legend of the Pied Piper of Hamlin and the Russian myth of Баба-Яга́, Weapons operates in a richly folkloric space. While not flawless, the film sports undeniable craft and is well worth watching. It confirms the promise of Cregger’s Barbarian. And like the folklore that inspired it, the film vividly explores primal fears about what dangers lurk in the dark.