The massive box-office success of writer-director Zach Cregger’s “Weapons” is an encouraging sign for original horror and original movies overall. By carving out a distinctive sensibility, first with his debut film “Barbarian” and now with “Weapons,” Cregger has built a following without relying on reboots or recycled IP.
“Weapons” succeeds because it’s an unsettling, engrossing, well-acted story that both scares and delights the audience. Cregger presents the intriguing premise of 17 children suddenly going missing in the middle of the night, as they simultaneously flee their houses. Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Alden Ehrenreich and Amy Madigan all give great performances in Cregger’s small-town horror tapestry.
