India, Aug. 9 -- Zach Cregger's latest project assembles an ensemble cast in a film that's part mystery, part nightmare, and all chaos. In a quiet town, 17 schoolchildren, all from the same class, vanish at exactly 2.17 am. The only one who stays behind, Alex, becomes the focus of a spiralling investigation. As paranoia grips the town, their teacher, Justine Gandy (Julia), finds herself at the centre of the storm. We follow different perspectives - a grieving father (Josh), a disillusioned cop (Alden Ehrenreich), and a struggling addict (Austin) - as the mystery unfolds. Zach proves himself a striking visual storyteller - from the first scene, he masterfully builds suspense. The film's structure is ambitious and at times brilliant, with flashes of sharp, absurdist comedy that feel dar The cast is uniformly strong, even if the characters are sketched thinly. Julia brings real pathos to Justine, a woman unravelling under public suspicion and private guilt. Josh channels rage and heartbreak in equal measure, while Alden injects dark humour. For all its ambition, Weapons does struggle to hold itself together. The non-linear narrative, while initially engaging, begins to feel repetitive because scenes lack new insight. The emotional stakes remain curiously flat despite the apocalyptic premise. While Zach avoids the pitfalls of "trauma horror" cliches, he also fails to fill the void with anything more meaningful. The mystery's resolution, while chaotic and gory, is ultimately unsatisfying and more shock than substance. Weapons is a stylish, wildly entertaining mess-impressive in moments, but lacking lasting impact. Zach once again proves he's a filmmaker to watch; his knack for tension and controlled chaos is clear, but he's still chasing the narrative precision to match his visual flair. It's no Magnolia - Paul Thomas Anderson's 1999 drama that Zach has cited as an inspiration - nor is it close to his last directorial, Barbarian (2022). But Weapons might still be a trip worth taking, even if it doesn't land exactly where you'd hoped....