The Weapon
Graphic violence in incoherent, incompetent action movie.
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The Weapon
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Weapon is an abysmal action film about a one-man army (Tony Schiena) who's trying to track down a crime boss. Violence is graphic, with guns and shooting, deaths, blood spurts and bloody wounds, a person being set on fire, fighting, punching, kicking, broken limbs, choking, heads being bashed with a motorcycle helmet, torture with an electric prod, a severed head, a building set on fire with characters locked inside, and more. Language is also strong, with many uses of "motherf----r," "f--k," "s--t," "c--ksucker," "goddamn," "bitch," etc. Scantily clad women are implied to be sex workers, and there's kissing and brief sex-related dialogue. Characters smoke cigarettes and drink whiskey from flasks and in bars. A drug lab is briefly seen.
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What's the Story?
In THE WEAPON, one-man army Dallas (Tony Schiena) is on a rampage, attacking drug cartels and biker gangs. These actions are seemingly directed at crime boss Lars (Richard Grieco), who is also holding Dallas' ex, Iris (AnnaLynne McCord), against her will. With both the police and Lars' men on Dallas' trail, everything comes down to one question: Who is Dallas working for, and why?
Is It Any Good?
Incoherent, abysmally acted, and bafflingly edited, this generic action movie is frustrating on many levels. But its cynicism --both toward its characters and the viewers -- is the worst thing about it. A directorial debut by its star, Schiena, The Weapon is so bad that it's almost impossible to even describe the plot. The first 20 minutes are a rhythmless muddle, cutting between sequences with Dallas beating up everyone in sight and scenes in which he's tied to a chair and beaten. Are these flashbacks? Is it some kind of montage? There's no answer. It's also difficult to know who anyone is. Characters just show up, and we have no idea what they're up to or what their relationship with anyone is. The acting is uniformly amateurish, except for pros like Cuba Gooding Jr., Jeff Fahey, and Bruce Dern, who appear in one scene each, for only a few minutes. And characters are irritatingly unintelligent, walking right into death traps that viewers will likely see coming a mile away. The film's ending demonstrates the callousness of it all, making it as close to worthless as a movie can possibly get.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about The Weapon's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
According to the movie, what is the nature of a weapon? Can it be used both for attacking and for protection? Why, or why not?
Did you notice any stereotypes in the movie? Do characters from underrepresented groups have agency? Why does that matter?
How are drinking, smoking, and drug use depicted? Are they glamorized? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?
Movie Details
- In theaters: February 17, 2023
- On DVD or streaming: February 17, 2023
- Cast: Tony Schiena, Richard Grieco, AnnaLynne McCord
- Director: Tony Schiena
- Studio: Lionsgate
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Run time: 85 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: strong violence and language throughout
- Last updated: February 16, 2023
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For kids who love action and thrills
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