Weapons (Zach Cregger, 2025, USA)
Weapons is the latest film from writer-director Zach Cregger, following his acclaimed solo directing/screenwriting debut Barbarian (2022). Perhaps one of the most anticipated films of 2025, Weapons had an excellent marketing campaign that drummed up interest around the core premise of the film - a group of kids from a single elementary school classroom all run away from home at the same time (2:17 AM). The only ones remaining are the teacher Justine (Julia Garner) and one student, Alex (Cary Christopher). This initial pitch is quite compelling, and it creates a very strong opening act for the film. Cregger’s screenplay takes a multi-perspective approach, switching between different narrators throughout the film. This is a risky gamble from a structural perspective, though it mostly works here. The comparisons to Magnolia are a bit overblown, but the film does manage to capture the nuance of American small-town life in the face of a mysterious tragedy. If the film evokes anything, it...
