? Where’d the kids go? In American director Zach Cregger’s second horror film, Weapons, the comedian leaves the jokes behind and presents a haunting story where horror stems not just from spooky scenes, but from an inherently bleak concept.

Just like clockwork. In the early hours of an inconspicuous Wednesday, precisely at 2:17am, 17 children from the same class wake up. They promptly leave their homes and run through the streets of their small town with outstretched arms, before disappearing into the darkness. Their teacher, Justine (Julia Garner), is soon put under the spotlight as parents blame her for their children’s disappearance.

The movie is divided into six chapters, each following the story of one of the town’s residents before all paths intersect, leading to the final act. Cregger’s division of the plot proves successful and ideal for the nature of the mystery at hand. The movie’s sequence of events is both logical and thrilling, resulting in an engaging viewing experience.

Excellent performances all around. Garner, Austin Abrams, Alden Ehrenreich and Benedict Wong all deliver stellar performances — particularly Wong, who terrified viewers with an unexpected, chilling scene. Not to mention the movie’s central character, who we’ll let you discover for yourselves, lest we spoil.

Despite a spine-chilling and intriguing premise that earns Weapons its spot among our favorite horror movies, the movie deliberately fails to provide answers to viewers’ questions, unlike Bring Her Back — also currently screening. The presence of a motive and a reason behind the evil force at play adds a human dimension and paints a complete picture, which always fares better than a vague “it’s just evil.”

…Yet perhaps that’s why Weapons works. The movie lets audiences fill in the gaps, theorizing motives based on their own understanding. The ending was cause for much online speculation among cinephiles. Weapons is less a movie, and more a cinematic experience not to be missed.

WHERE TO WATCH- Weapons is screening at Vox Cinemas in Mall of Egypt, City StarsCinema, and CFCM and District 5’s Scene Cinemas. You can also catch the movie at Cima Arkan and P90 Cinema. Watch the trailer on YouTube (runtime:1:55).

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