(https://i.imgur.com/fM8SiSN.png)
Studio: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
Release Date: 10/14/2025
Rating: R
Film Grade: B+
The Story: An entire class of students, sans one, mysteriously disappears in the early morning by simply walking out of family homes. Each awoke and left alone at precisely 2:17 AM leaving no trace of their whereabouts. Even though the police have doorbell cam and other footage, they’ve been unable to track where the children may have gone.
The shocking event has weighed heavily on the community, amplifying their desperation and fueling tensions. It’s also been difficult for the classroom teacher, Justine. Considered a suspect by some, she has a driving need to talk to Alex, the one child who didn’t vanish along with his classmates.
My Take: For those looking for a fresh, non-franchise movie, here’s your pick for the holiday season. (No, not that holiday, we’re talking Halloween!) While classified as horror, I’d place it in the thriller/mystery end of that spectrum, with a supernatural edge. This review will be as non-spoiler as possible, since a large part of the enjoyment comes by watching the events unravel as the puzzle pieces fall solidly into place.
Part of that fresh feeling is how the movie is set up. It opens with a young girl’s narration, where she emphasizes that it’s a true story. And you can trust her because it happened in her community. This sets the stage for the movie to take on that urban legend feel, grounding the events in a real setting but also allowing it to play around with the events as they unfold.
The other thing that sets it apart is how it’s constructed. Instead of a linear tale, it breaks the film up into segments concentrating on a single character and his or her perspective. By splitting the story apart we’re able to see different takes on the same events while also delving into each of their lives. Each has handled the disappearances in their own way, and the movie weaves them together really well as it drives to the heart-pounding climax. This is similar to what Lost did on TV, but you don’t have to wait five years for the conclusion, and the ending doesn’t disappoint.
Acting is grounded and realistic with the movie not shying away from character flaws. I had reservations about Julia Garner as Justine, as she seemed too young for the role. In the extras, writer/director Zach Cregger admits he felt the same way at first, but now he can't imagine anyone else playing the part. She does a great job, giving her character the perfect mix of emotions and drive as the audience ponders her story.
The rest of the cast is also stellar. Josh Brolin is the father of one of the missing students who is convinced that Julia holds the answers, but he can’t prove it. But the real show stealer is a spectacular Amy Madigan as the eccentric relative of one of the children. It’s a role that sticks with you and she absolutely nails it. Performances in this movie genre are generally overlooked, but hers is award-worthy in the supporting actress category.
I have two small knocks on the film. A couple of the individual character-focused segments go on just a little too long and could have been trimmed to bring down the runtime. This is corrected once the story kicks into high gear. The other is that a specific factor is handled inconsistently. Not enough to derail the story but it would have been simple enough to avoid. These are really just minor nitpicks, though.
Visuals: Dark shots are a given for horror movies, and this one doesn’t disappoint. There’s good definition in those areas creating the perfect atmosphere for the mystery at hand. But not everything takes place in darkened rooms and darkened eves. Outdoor shots are bright and sunny when needed, displaying the natural flora of the area. Indoors are also handled in a realistic manor, from the classrooms, homes, gas stations, and police stations all feel real enough to step into. All of these elements work together creating a fantastic world for the movie.
Audio: This is a lively Atmos mix, with wides being used more often than most films. The movie does pass my bird test for tops, although there aren’t many opportunities for their chirping to be evident. But all of the channels are used to define spaces and create the right atmosphere for the story. Dialog is clear throughout.
This extends to the score. In addition to directing the film, Cregger also worked on the music with Ryan and Hays Holladay, and they’ve created something as original as the movie itself. Pounding percussion, occasionally accompanied by frantic strings, all play a heavy role driving the tension and action, with occasional low-end visceral impact.
Special Features: The three short featurettes add additional insight into what inspired the movie and how it was filmed. While not overly deep, they were all worth watching for anyone that cares about how something like this comes about.
- Director Zach Cregger: Making Horror Personal (featurette)
- Weaponized: The Cast of Weapons (featurette)
- Weapons: Texture of Terror (featurette)
Final Verdict: Just in time for the season we have a solid movie in the horror genre. While there are a few instances of gruesome violence, it’s the story that drives things and the characters that keep it interesting. This is easily something that can be enjoyed by just about anyone that cares about these things, not just horror fans. As a testament to this, my wife gave it the same grade, despite only tolerating horror films and never being one to seek them out.
Highly recommended on all levels, this is a film that satisfies from beginning to end with unexpected twists that don’t feel like cheats. Warner has handed out a real treat, just in time for Halloween. Unlike those fun-sized candy bars that are gone in a chomp, this one begs to be consumed more than once, as there’s plenty to take in with subsequent viewings.
I normally don’t recommend watching trailers, but if you’re still on the edge, the first minute from the one below is free from spoilers and gives you a good clue as to the look, feel, and setup to the movie.
Prescient Lyrics from the Score:
Watch out now, take care
Beware of greedy leaders
They take you where you should not go
(Beware of Darkness – George Harrison)
https://youtu.be/OpThntO9ixc
My Review System:
JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
Elite Screens Sable Frame B2 117” Width with Infinitely Variable Height
Monolith by Monoprice HTP-1 16 Channel Processor with Dirac Live
Monolith by Monoprice 7x200 Watts Amp
Monolith by Monoprice 3x200 Watts + 6x100 Watts Amp
JBL Studio 590 for Left, Center, Right, Wides, and Rears
JBL Studio 580 for Side Surrounds
JBL Studio SCS 8 for Tops
JTR Captivator 1400 Subwoofer X 4
Panasonic DP-UB420 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
NVIDIA Shield Android TV - 4K
Xbox One X
HTPC Running madVR (work in progress)
Remote: URC MX-780
Mini DSP 2X4 HD controlling all subwoofers
APC S15 Power Conditioner with Battery Backup