Weapons

“This is a true story that happened in my town. So this one Wednesday is like a normal day for the whole school, but today was different. Every other class had all their kids, but Mrs. Gandy’s room was completely empty. And do you know why? Because the night before at 2:17 in the morning, every kid woke up, got out of bed, walked downstairs and into the dark and they never… came… back.” —Mysterious [Child] Narrator, “Weapons”

This eerie narration sets the tone for what is to come with the story, “Weapons.” Everyone in Maybrook, Pennsylvania is living a totally quiet and normal life, up until that dreadful Tuesday evening.

When parents wake up to find 17 students missing, parents are outright devastated. Surveillance footage from various homes should children just walking out the door and into the dark forrest. No explanation whatsoever, well except there is one thing…

All the missing students, as the narrator states, are from Mrs. Gandy’s room. “Why her class? Why ONLY her class?” someone shouts at an open forum at school. Indeed, why only Mrs. Gandy’s class. Mrs Gandy explains to the parents her frustration, fear and confusion over the situation but assures everyone that she is not involved in any way. The parents don’t believe her. After all, not everyone is as they seem, right?

But there’s one thing the overlooked…the motive. Why would Mrs. Gandy want to kidnap 18 students; well actually 17 as one student, named Alex, did not get up at 2:17. What about Alex though? Surely he must know something but isn’t saying anything.

The ultimate question remains that each of these parents wish to ask of their missing children, “Where have you gone, where have you been, what have you seen?”

What drew me to “Weapons” was, indeed, that very unsettling narration at the very beginning of the film. This narrative is given, at first, while the screen remains black. This is a very effective technique to really increase your heart rate and make you question if there is more to the story, and yes, there is absolutely more.

What I can appreciate about “Weapons” is that the film tries to divide its very large story into six distinct chapters: Justine (aka Mrs. Gandy), Archer, Paul, James, Marcus and lastly Alex. Each chapter gives you a different perspective of the events of the Wednesday when the students were discovered missing. We have the teacher, the policeman, the homeless man, the principal, and then the student. As we watch each individual chapter, each provides not only their own perspective on things, but also adds more to the puzzle and, in due time, allows us to discover the entire truth of what happened.

Without spoiling too much (I will have to at some point though), the big reveal during the fifth chapter makes for a shocking, yet disturbing ending and an ending that leaves you with no clear answer as to what happened when everything was over. The ambiguity is something that many filmmakers have been trying to incorporate into their stories and, for the most part, it works. I found myself going home after and trying to figure out what happened after and I couldn’t find much.

Did I mention the ending is disturbing? I mean EXTREMELY disturbing and downright disgusting. I’d even go as far and state that the ending, and perhaps the film itself, is downright, purely evil. While the violent and graphic images don’t appear much in the first three chapters, by the time we reach chapters 4-6, things REALLY ramp up. I mean we’re talking decapitations, cannibalism, suicides, and so much more. The violence is so extreme I found myself turning away for a second just to recompose myself.

To add massive insult to injury, ***SPOILER ALERT*** at the end of the film, we witness why the children went missing, and that is due to someone who implies actual witchcraft to kidnap and steal the souls of children. Think “Hocus Pocus” but far more dreadful and terrifying. This truly sends a anti-Christian, ungodly message that we are powerless against witches, warlocks and the occult, and that only other people are the ones who can save us from their clutches. Not God, just people. ***END SPOILER**

Again, this film seems to glorify the occult rather than scrutinize it. Apart from two characters, it also depicts the adults as bumbling, stumbling morons who couldn’t solve a crossword puzzle even if the answers were given to them. Does this remind you of anyone? Hmmm? Stephen King perhaps?

To the film’s credit Julia Garner and the rest of the cast give some downright bone-chilling and nuanced performances to each of their characters. The score for this film is practically non-existent for most of “Weapons” but when it does appear in very brief moments it just adds to the overall tension of certain scenes and situations. Also, ty the overall pacing of the film is fairly strong, with only a moment or two where things became a little stale (chapters 1 and 2 in particular).

Objectionable Material

*NOTE: Extremely disturbing and graphic descriptions of violence will be provided. Please use massive reader discretion.**

VIOLENCE: Extreme and sickening. A woman finds out that her husband had an affair with another woman and the wife attacks the woman in a liquor store. There are multiple jump scares throughout the story. A woman is seen, in a trance, walking out of her house and towards some individuals in a car with a pair of scissors. A character is seen with an extremely bloody and scratched face hysterically attacking two other characters, almost killing them. A corrupt cop punches and knocks out a suspect in anger but then lets him go with “a warning.” An officer is stabbed in the face by three used needles. Someone drags a person screaming across the ground and into a house.

Someone cuts their own hand off. A character chokes and headbutts his “partner” to death but only after after puking dark, black liquid onto his face (yes, the two characters are a gay couple). Characters attack other characters. Someone has their head slammed into glass. We discover a splattered human head on the road. Some parents continually stab themselves with a fork. A witch mentions that she could make parents eat themselves.

Two characters are viciously attacked by hypnotized individuals who cross the line made of salt (an occultic practice). A male knocks a guy out over and over again. A child is chased by his hypnotized parents who wish to kill him. Someone is seen committing suicide and we see his corpse after lying in a huge pile of blood. A male is forced to kill another character (he is stopped in time). Children chase after an adult in rage, breaking glass and smashing through homes, grab the adult and begin tearing the adult apart and some are seen even eating her arms and legs.

PROFANITY: J*sus (6+), J*sus Chr*st (1), Jesus F**king Chr*st (1), G*d-d*mnit (5), OMG (1), Oh G*d (1)

VULGAR LANGUAGE: F**k (19), WTF (14), F**king (9), F**ker (1), F**ked Up (2), Sh*t (5), P.O.S. (2), S*ck my D*ck (1), A**-hole (1), B*tch (2), SOB (3)

SEXUAL CONTENT: A couple are seen having graphic sex on a bed (we see them, uh, under the covers as this happens, and we hear accompanying sounds). A character before working at Maybrook was fired for having inappropriate relations with staff members. Two characters are in a homosexual relationship.

NUDITY: Two people are seen in their underwear after having sex. Some characters wear revealing tops.

ALCOHOL: A character is seen buying two large bottles of vodka just for herself to drink. People are seen drinking at a bar.

DRUGS: As mentioned before, an officer is poked by three used needles. A character is seen smoking out of a small bong. There are some discussions of hepatitis and AIDS due to drug use.

OCCULT: ***SPOILER AHEAD*** As mentioned the reason the students are missing is because an elderly witch stole a piece of the students’ DNA (hair and objects they touched), twisted them around a stick, created a potion and cast a spell on these students, drawing them into a basement where she feast off their souls so she can become younger. She is also seen controlling adults, making them hurt themselves, their loved ones and even perfect strangers.

OTHER: Children are seen leaving their homes. People trespass onto private property. An AK-47 image appears in the sky. The chief of police is seen giving a pass to a corrupt cop who was caught. A character is seen stealing stuff and then trying to pawn it for money. A character is seen throwing up into a bowl. A child is seen stealing stuff from his classmates in a flashback.

There are absolutely NO, and I mean NO redeeming morals that I can draw from this film.

Conclusion

This has already been a very lengthy review, so let me end it with this: Under no circumstances should you subject yourself or the Holy Spirit within you to this ungodly and downright evil film. Children are subjected to massive danger, parents are clueless, every violent thing you can imagine is on screen and there is an astounding amount of language.

Do something, anything really, better with your time. There is no reason to see this film, not even as a dare by a friend. Read the Bible, pray. These are more spiritually uplifting. And remember what Scripture says…

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” —Philippians 4:8

• Violence: Extreme
• Occult: Very Heavy
• Vulgar/Crude language: Very Heavy
• Profane language: Moderately Heavy
• Sex: Moderately Heavy
• Nudity: Moderate
• Drugs/Alcohol: Moderate
• Wokeism: None

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