Weapons

This and "Bring Her Back" are tied for my movie of the year so far. Absolutely fantastic film with no flaws in my opinion. Smart writing, a killer cast, and a super fun mysterious story structure make for one of the most engaging horror movies I've seen in a while. You never really quite know where the story is going until it shows it's cards. The final sequence had everyone in my theater going crazy. A perfect blend of horror and comedy, truly. I didn't even expect much from this based on the marketing, but wow, I'm so happy I showed up day 1 to see this in theaters. Do yourself a favor and see it as soon as possible, avoid all spoilers and go in blind. If you liked Barbarian, you're sure to love this. Can't wait for his Resident Evil movie next! 10/10.

Zach Cregger comes back with “Weapons,” proving that the success of “Barbarian” wasn’t a fluke, but the result of a filmmaker who knows exactly how to build terror and surprise from the simplest premises. This time, the starting point is deeply disturbing: an unexplained event where 17 children walk out of their homes in the middle of the night, arms stretched out as if they were playing airplane, and vanish. The image alone carries a haunting weight, but Cregger’s script refuses to spoon-feed answers or lean on obvious symbolism, even if you can catch echoes of real-life tragedies or metaphors for recent times, like the pandemic. Instead, the film operates in that strange space between the unexplainable and the instinctive, digging into the emotional and social ripple effects of a collective trauma.

The real power of “Weapons” lies in its fragmented narrative, split into chapters centered on different characters, each one revealing new pieces of a puzzle the audience never fully sees. Justine Gandy (Julia Garner), a teacher left reeling after all her students suddenly vanish, embodies the weight of suspicion and social hostility, becoming the target of veiled accusations and community paranoia. Garner nails the feeling of someone burdened by guilt without having done anything wrong, trying to survive in a space where logic dissolves and fear takes over. Instead of following a conventional investigation path, Cregger uses Justine as a doorway into a mosaic of perspectives.

The scope widens when the story shifts to Archer Graff (Josh Brolin), a father devastated by one of the disappearances. Brolin’s restrained grief and emotional toughness contrast sharply with the more chaotic energy of other characters like police officer Paul (Alden Ehrenreich), addict James (Austin Abrams), and principal Marcus (Benedict Wong). Each storyline adds not only new bits of information but also distinct tones, from suffocating tension to sharp humor, keeping “Weapons” unpredictable and alive. Cregger leans into a “Tarantino-style” construction, where repeated events from new angles aren’t cheap tricks but deliberate tools to underline that, in a crisis, everyone believes they own their version of the truth.

On a technical level, “Weapons” is razor-sharp. Larkin Seiple’s cinematography injects energy without flashiness, placing the camera in unexpected spots that capture the physicality of each scene, while Joe Murphy’s editing keeps the rhythm uneven, flipping between oppressive silence and bursts of movement. Together, they create a visual language that sustains tension without falling into over-stylization, keeping the audience locked in. At the same time, Cregger understands that horror can coexist with moments of spontaneous humor, not as cheap comic relief, but as a natural human reaction to the absurd and the terrifying.

In the climax, “Weapons” delivers a final sequence that is pure unease, leaving the audience unsettled yet fascinated. It works both as a sensory experience, a roller coaster ride between nervous laughter and Shock, and as an open-ended piece about fear, paranoia, and social distrust. Cregger once again proves he can handle modern horror without leaning on clichés or easy answers, delivering something that’s brutal, entertaining, and deeply unsettling all at once. “Weapons” doesn’t just want to scare you; it wants to provoke, challenge, and stick with you long after the last frame.

Absolute masterpiece, I really enjoyed the story building from different character’s perspectives. This kept us as an audience learning piece by piece and still not having answers. Loved the plot and cinematography- the humor also worked very well.

I really did love this. I went in knowing very little, i hadn't watched trailers. All i knew was Austin Abrams was in it and so i went opening night. The movie was great, austin was phenomenal but that did not surprise me. I found myself deeply emotional over Benedict Wong's character. Truly the two of them were the standout performances to me, though Alden Ehrenreich and Amy Madigan were also quite strong performances to me.

The film walks the line between horror with comedic moments and horror comedy, and i think it does both aspects really well. I love the concept and i thought it was a strong execution. I enjoyed the cinematography a lot and the score was really effective. The moments of narration were kinda meh, but it got information across that i dont think we'd get another way. I really enjoyed the non-linear storytelling, i think it was done well and was really effective.

So brilliant. One of the best movies this year.

F*ck me. I love movies so much.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I absolutely loved this movie. It is serious at the right times, funny when it needs to be, and uses character perspectives to subvert your expectations in how the plot will unfold.

Not only is the story the mystery, but how we will unravel it. The choice in using what are built to be more of side characters to unfurl the bulk of the story as well as setting up patterns only to break them add to the suspense and uniqueness of the movie.

I really loved how the movie expanded what it means to be a “horror” movie. Loved it from start to finish!

Story was captivating, even after figuring out the twist I was still invested in the characters.

Acting was great across the board.

Cinematography was fantastic, the panning shots, the car scene, the lighting. Need to watch again.

Barbarian-esque tension releases but done several times. These were all done well and developed into a natural flow for the movie. I wanted 10 hours of this, was very well done.

Had some well done jump scares but the tension was what really made it scary. 10/10

Context: Saw in IMAX, sober with family

Campy horror is the best horror.

start slowly and at the end you will understand what's going on :)