Zach Cregger’s ‘Weapons’ is a bold, unnerving triumph that cements the ‘Barbarian’ director as a new titan in modern horror. Where his 2022 breakout film toyed with expectations, ‘Weapons’ slashes right through them—both terrifying and fascinating in equal measure.
The film opens with a mystery as chilling as it is surreal: seventeen children from the same elementary class vanish in the middle of the night, all at exactly 2:17 a.m., with only one left behind. What follows is a genre-defying narrative told through shifting points of view, gradually unraveling a puzzle that’s less about what happened and more about the rot festering in a supposedly “normal” community.
The ensemble—Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Alden Ehrenreich, and Austin Abrams among them—deliver compelling performances, though the film doesn’t dwell on character depth so much as use each figure as a lens into paranoia, denial, and desperation. Cregger’s storytelling is methodical yet chaotic, moving backward and sideways through time with precision, dark humor, and a mounting sense of dread.
Stylistically, ‘Weapons’ is a masterclass in tension-building. The film is creepy, atmospheric, and often hilarious in its grotesquery, yet never feels indulgent.
The scares are smart, the violence inventive, and the absurdity intentional. Like a twisted fairy tale written by Stephen King and filmed by Denis Villeneuve, it weaponizes mood and mystery rather than jump scares.
Critics of ‘Barbarian’ might still find ‘Weapons’ too showy or opaque, especially as the film seems to revel in its ambiguity. But others will appreciate how it dodges tired trauma tropes and opts instead for a biting commentary on societal self-destruction—armed not with metaphors, but with literal and figurative “weapons.”
That said, it’s not perfect. Some characters feel thin, a few scenes are literally too dark to see, and the finale, while intense, leans more toward carnage than catharsis. Still, Cregger’s ability to balance horror, satire, and psychological insight is nothing short of remarkable.
‘Weapons’ doesn’t just entertain—it disturbs, provokes, and dares its audience to piece it all together. In a sea of formulaic horror, it’s an exhilarating, blood-soaked breath of fresh air.
Verdict: ★★★★½
An instant horror classic. Creepy, clever, and carnally chaotic—Zach Cregger has outdone himself.
