Weapons

Zach Cregger

CJ Julstrom

Unfortunately, “Weapons” is going to join the ranks of expertly shot, beautifully sound designed, excellently scary horror movies whose scripts I absolutely hated. Although I enjoyed the pace and non-chronological structure of the narrative, Zach Cregger’s writing struck me as both very competent and unsettlingly mean spirited.

If you or anyone you know has struggled with substance abuse, be aware that “Weapons” portrays the experience graphically and without sympathy. For a movie whose tracking-shot heavy direction made it easy to fall into the different characters’ perspectives, it didn’t express a lot of sympathy for any of them.

Then there’s the issue of the Millers. Oddly enough, this is not the first time I’ve seen a gay side character magically compelled to kill their partner on screen. I’m not sure why Cregger decided to include a nearly useless husband character for the school’s principal just to give him three lines and subject him to one of the most gruesome kills in the movie.

I’m not saying you can never kill off a gay character, but when the only people that die over the course of a horror movie are gay people, addicts, and a weird, eccentric old woman, I do start to question some writing decisions.

As much as I’m frustrated by what I see as its failings, “Weapons” was undeniably fun to watch. If you’re able to turn your brain off for the two hour runtime, you’ll be treated to some beautifully composed shots and electrifying scares.