WEAPONS is a 2025 mystery horror thriller film written, produced, and directed by Zach Cregger. Cregger recently wrote and directed the hard-hitting 2022 horror thriller BARBARIAN (our full review and the trailer here), which is an absolute must-see.
When all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.
The cast includes Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, Cary Christopher, Benedict Wong, Amy Madigan, and Justin Long
WEAPONS made its debut in theaters August 8th, courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.
When I went to see BARBARIAN in theaters back in 2022, I honestly didn’t know what to expect from writer/director Zach Cregger. I went in fairly blind and to be honest the movie blew me away. It was clear from the jump this dude was talented, and I was locked into this movie from the start. I liked so much about BARBARIAN, but one element I liked the most was how Cregger told a story that developed over a long period of time which was a really cool way for the events in the film to unfold.
Now lets talk about his latest film, WEAPONS. I loved this movie! As soon as the credits hit the screen, I just wanted to tell anybody who would listen all about what I just watched. My wife is a wuss and cannot handle horror movies, so she told me as soon as I got home that under no circumstance could I tell her about the movie. Bummer, I know.
WEAPONS was incredibly entertaining, packed full of some great original horror elements brought to life by a super talented cast, and writer/director Zach Cregger yet again reminds people that he understands filmmaking. The movie just has a little bit of everything, a feeling of constant dread with the horror element, a dose of mystery, thriller, and even some comedy for good measure. I felt like the film balanced the tone in such a unique way that WEAPONS should appeal to a much wider audience compared to traditional horror films.
One thing I know for sure after seeing WEAPONS, Zach Cregger is a master storyteller. This dude just gets it. He gets an original idea in his head and he finds a way to share that idea with viewers in the form of quality cinema. As I mentioned in the opening Cregger has his own style of telling his stories, and with WEAPONS he utilizes an approach that tells the story from the perspective of each main character, and it was just magical.
With this format you get to see the unsettling events first hand as they develop and you also begin to understand the story more with each perspective. You get to experience certain events from the perspective of one character and something that happens may not make sense, and then you experience the same events from the perspective of another character and it comes full circle. I just thought it was amazing how Cregger did this and in some ways it reminded me of the book The Girl on the Train, which to this day hooked me like no other book. With WEAPONS you honestly never really know what the heck is going on until the final act.
From a technical perspective WEAPONS is absolutely ridiculous. First and foremost, the score gave me chills. I wish I could have experienced this movie in IMAX because it was clear that the audio was a big part of the experience. During some of the more powerful scenes the sound just ramped up in such a way that made everything feel massive and immersive. The camera work makes everything feel intimate when it needs to be, and I have to touch on the editing because I don’t think they wasted a single second. I don’t know what else to say, WEAPONS is not only one of the best horror movies I’ve seen in quite some time, it is one of the best overall movies I have seen.
The entire cast is perfect, with a breakout role Julia Garner and Josh Brolin, one of the most talented actors working today. Garner’s career has really taken off ever since she made a name for herself with the hit crime thriller series Ozark, and the fact that she held her own alongside someone like Brolin speaks volumes about her as an actress. I can’t wait to see more from her. We were even gifted some screen time from Justin Long who starred in Cregger’s previous film, BARBARIAN.
The supporting cast was top notch as well, with memorable performances from Alden Ehrenreich, Benedict Wong, and Justin Abrams. Veteran actress Amy Madigan, who began her career back in 1981 with TV roles on shows like CHiPs as well as a role in the 1989 comedy Uncle Buck, is just amazing in this film. I don’t want to give anything away, but just know that Madigan is a huge part of this movie and she deserves a ton of praise for this role.
From the perspective of someone who sees a lot of movies, on average about two a week in the theater, WEAPONS is really on another level and an absolute must-see. Certain directors impress me to the point where I will be at the theater for their movies no matter what, and Zack Cregger now finds himself in this rare category. I feel like he will continue to get better with each project he works on, and I can’t wait for the Resident Evil movie he has on the horizon.
THE VERDICT
A captivating original story uniquely told from the perspective of each main character, WEAPONS is yet another gem from writer/director Zach Cregger and easily the best horror movie this year. I can’t remember the last time I was so incredibly immersed in a horror movie, and for that reason the 2-hours absolutely flew by. Awesome story, great acting from the entire cast, and top-tier technical elements. Bottom line, this movie is a must-see.
TED TAKES RATING - 9.8/10
WEAPONS is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.