WEAPONS Review: Zach Cregger Delivers a Creepy, Bold, and Unpredictable Summer Horror Ride
- creepykingdom
- Aug 11
- 3 min read
by Brendan Graham
The horror event of the summer is finally here, and with all the hype, does WEAPONS actually deliver? The premise is simple but creepy: at 2:17 a.m., every kid in Mrs. Gandy’s (Julia Garner) class gets up, walks downstairs, opens the front door, and disappears into the dark. No one knows what happened or where they went. Though it is a little messy around the edges, it is impossible to look away and it has all the makings of a true horror classic.
BARBARIAN director Zach Cregger is back with his second feature, and this time he is mixing mystery, thriller, dark comedy, and horror in a way that really shows he is becoming a voice to watch in the genre. WEAPONS blends these tones seamlessly, taking the audience on an emotional rollercoaster through some truly wild and unexpected moments. You feel the heavy weight of the kids’ disappearances on the parents, the school, and the community, then you are on the edge of your seat, tense about what is happening behind closed doors, and suddenly you are laughing out loud as a character reacts exactly how you would. It is this perfect juggling act that makes WEAPONS such a blast. I was not trying to solve the mystery early on, I was just along for the ride, completely pulled in, and that is a sign of a filmmaker who knows what they are doing.
The performances in WEAPONS are seriously impressive across the board. Garner stands out as Justine, the schoolteacher caught in the middle of a nightmare. She brings so much raw emotion and intensity to the role that you cannot take your eyes off her. Josh Brolin delivers one of his most grounded performances in years as a grieving father, managing to feel both broken and dangerous at the same time. Alden Ehrenreich is great too, quietly tense and believable as a cop trying to hold it together while everything falls apart. Amy Madigan gives a low-key but unforgettable performance in a role that becomes more unsettling the longer it goes, one of those characters you keep thinking about afterward. Even the kid performances in WEAPONS are on another level. Cary Christopher, in particular, brings a quiet intensity that sticks with you, but the whole young cast is shockingly good. No one is coasting. Every performance, young and old, adds to the film’s creepy, suffocating atmosphere and makes this story land with real impact.
The cinematography is stunning, moody, and atmospheric, and always just off-kilter enough to make you feel pulled into the story. The score is equally haunting, subtle when it needs to be, then crashing in with big, unsettling moments that hit like a gut punch. When the blood starts flowing, it really flows. Cregger does not shy away from graphic violence, but it is never cheap. Every drop of gore feels purposeful, building toward a finale that will have audiences cheering.
WEAPONS is not without its hiccups. The chapter-style structure, while visually interesting, tends to disrupt the flow of the story. Just as things build up, the momentum pauses, which can be jarring. The film’s dark humor is sharp and adds personality, but it will not be for everyone. Some viewers might feel it clashes with the heavier, more emotional moments. And as for the twist, it is ambitious and definitely unexpected, but audiences may find the reveal does not quite live up to the hype of the mystery presented at the start.
WEAPONS is one of those rare horror films that sticks with you. It is messy, bold, and a little wild, but that is exactly what makes it so damn compelling. If you are ready for something that unsettles you on every level and refuses to play by the usual rules, this is a ride worth taking.
WEAPONS is now playing in theaters.
