Release Date: 7 August 2025
Directed By: Zach Cregger
Runtime: 128 min
REVIEW
2025 is quickly becoming the year original horror tries to one-up itself month after month.
It began with Companion, became the Ugly Stepsister, continued with the surprise hit Sinners, before moving into the highly anticipated Bring Her Back. One thing is certain: picking a favourite this year isn’t going to be easy.
Now, Weapons has been thrown into the mix, the creepy little treat from Zach Cregger, and a strong contender for best of the year.
Cregger’s previous film, Barbarian (2022), offered our first glimpse at his talent for crafting original stories. Both Weapons and Barbarian share a similar style, splitting the narrative between multiple characters to keep us guessing where things could possibly go next.
This fragmented point of view might very well become Cregger’s signature style, and it’s a clever way of deep diving into characters, allowing the audience to be immersed in the film’s festering atmosphere.
But where Barbarian is the aggressive bully, bashing you over the head with its story, Weapons is the demure wallflower, gradually revealing its true wild side, ultimately leading to a feral climax.
Weapons also delivers some truly effective spookery. While there are a couple cheap jump scares (they got me, I’ll admit), it’s the unexpectedness of what’s to come that is truly frightening. Cregger does a great job keeping us guessing, revealing just enough to move things along before tossing something unnatural and terrifying at you. The images will stick with you long after you’ve made your drive home.
Humour is used heavy-handedly throughout the film as well, and plays an important role in lightening an otherwise dark storyline. There are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments to help you process the onscreen trauma, and there’s no way Weapons is as good without them. Horror and comedy have close ties, and Cregger uses this link to his advantage.
All in all, Weapons is a fantastic horror film, and if you can, catch it in a very dark cinema. You won’t be disappointed.
Bonus tip: If you haven’t checked out Barbarian (2022) yet, these two films would make a great double feature. And for both, I recommend going in with as little info as possible.
5 WTFs out of 5
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