Weapons Movie Review: If you’ve read international reviews calling Zach Cregger’s new film Weapons a horror masterpiece, believe them. They’re not exaggerating. Weapons gave me the exact same feeling I had when I first watched Jordan Peele’s Get Out: the realisation that this isn’t just a well-made horror movie, but one that would define its space and time permanently in the annals of cinema (the second horror movie of 2025 to do so, after Ryan Coogler's Sinners). 'Weapons' Teaser: Zach Creggers' New Film After Barbarian Looks Creepy Enough (Watch Video).

The Get Out comparison isn’t just about quality. It’s worth noting that Peele himself reportedly parted ways with his agents when they failed to secure the rights to Weapons for him. That alone says plenty.

‘Weapons’ Movie Review - The Plot

The plot kicks off with a chilling premise: seventeen children from the same classroom vanish from their homes one night, all at once. Only one kid, Alex (Cary Christopher), doesn’t disappear - and that itself is a mystery. Why was he spared?

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While the police and parents are left clueless, the film attempts to unravel the enigma through various perspectives, each criss-crossing before spiralling into increasingly bizarre, bloody, and downright WTF territory. And it’s all gloriously gory fun.

'Weapons' Movie Review - The 'Magnolia' Structure

The narrative structure borrows from Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia, with each episode told from the viewpoint of a different central character. That’s an intriguing influence - Magnolia may be a drama, but it also orbits around a bizarre anomaly (it’s raining frogs, hallelujah!).

One chapter belongs to Justine (Julia Garner), the teacher of the missing kids. Naturally, she falls under suspicion of the parents, even though she’s just as baffled as the others. One such suspicious parent is Archer (Josh Brolin), so consumed by his need to find his son that - shown in a single, subtle scene - it’s clearly affected his relationship with his wife. He strongly believes Justine is behind the disappearance and even trails her in search of answers.

A Still From Weapons

Other players in this episodic puzzle include Paul (Alden Ehrenreich), a morally murky cop; Anthony (Austin Abrams), a homeless drug addict; and Andrew (Benedict Wong), the school principal. Each thread feels like a jagged puzzle piece, snapping into place just when you least expect it, revealing a picture that’s funny, terrifying, and deeply unsettling in equal measure. The finale in particular is disturbingly violent with even gore slapped in. Yet, in that bloody, violent chaos, the movie still manages to raise chuckles in some very unexpected - and very much intentional - manner.

'Weapons' Movie Review - Technically Excellent

The transition from mystery to horror to thriller to full-on occult is handled with surprising smoothness. Most of the horror unfolds through nightmare sequences - a slightly clichéd technique - but Cregger (Barbarian) makes it work. Much of the horror unfolds through nightmare sequences (yes, still a bit of a cliché), but Cregger injects them with enough visual ingenuity to make them land. The use of the vertigo effect, strategic jump cuts, and warped shots all contribute to some properly hair-raising moments.

A Still From Weapons

It’s not just Larkin Seiple’s cinematography doing heavy lifting here - though it’s stunning in its variety and experimentation with POV shots - but also Joe Murphy’s razor-sharp editing. And that creepy background score? Hall-of-fame-worthy. Cregger himself contributes alongside Ryan and Hays Holladay, and the spooky result just crawls under your skin at all the right moments. Exhuma Movie Review: Plenty of Chills and Thrills in Choi Min-sik's Gripping South Korean Horror Film!

Thanks to the synergy between Cregger’s masterful storytelling and the superb technical finesse, Weapons conjures up some truly chilling moments. The “nightmare” sequences for Justine and Archer - both ending with the same jump scare - still land effectively. Another standout is the tense petrol pump confrontation between Archer and Justine, which ends with Andrew’s horrifying intrusion - its chilling reason only revealed later.

A Still From Weapons

The influence of Stephen King is undeniable, and the film wears it like a badge of honour, especially in its use of children as a narrative device. A moment in the finale is a direct homage to The Shining, alongside subtle nods to IT, Children of the Corn, and more.

'Weapons' Movie Review - Enough Breadcrumbs to Keep You Guessing

And while the supernatural storyline is wrapped up with a deliciously bloody bow, Weapons still leaves just enough ambiguity to keep the post-movie debates alive. Who is the unseen narrator of the film? Why do Justine and Archer see the same terrifying face in their nightmares? Why does Anthony see it while awake? What’s with the gun on the rooftop in Archer’s dream? And what does the malevolent entity really want with its victims? These questions might frustrate in a lesser film, but here, they feel like breadcrumbs meant to be followed - and argued about with your friends over dinner and drinks.

A Still From Weapons

The performances rise to the occasion too. Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Alden Ehrenreich, and Austin Abrams all deliver, with Julia Garner especially shining hard, walking the line between sympathetic and dodginess with a calculated nuance. Benedict Wong’s wild-eyed, blood-soaked run is unforgettable — you’ll pray he doesn’t show up in your nightmares. Young Cary Christopher is fantastic in the segment centred on his character.

A Still From Weapons

But the real scene-stealer? An actress, whom I won't name here for SPOILER's sake, who makes quite the cackling, blood-curdling impression in later portions of the film. Extra points to the makeup and styling team for making her presence so unforgettable.

'Weapons' Movie Review - Final Thoughts

Genre-bending, darkly disturbing, surprisingly hilarious, and always unpredictable, Weapons is that rare film that reminds you just how wild and inventive horror can be. With Zach Cregger’s masterful direction, a gripping narrative structure, stunning technical finesse, and top-tier performances, this one firmly stakes its claim as one of the best films of the year - a modern horror masterpiece in its own right.

Rating:4.5

(The opinions expressed in the above article are of the author and do not reflect the stand or position of LatestLY.)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 08, 2025 08:01 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).