Genre: Horror / Thriller / Psychological Drama
Director: Zach Cregger
Cast: Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Amy Madigan, Alden Ehrenreich
Zach Cregger, following the breakout success of Barbarian (2022), returns with Weapons (2025)—an ambitious and unsettling horror film that refuses to play by the rules of conventional genre storytelling. Where Barbarian thrived on claustrophobic dread, Weapons expands into something more operatic and fractured, weaving multiple narratives together to form a chilling meditation on violence, grief, and power.
The story centers around a small town that is shaken when seventeen children inexplicably vanish at 2:17 a.m., with only one child mysteriously left behind. Julia Garner gives a powerful and emotionally raw performance as a schoolteacher struggling under the weight of guilt and suspicion, caught in the crosshairs of both the community and her own conscience. Alongside her, Amy Madigan delivers a hauntingly memorable role as Gladys, an eccentric and terrifying figure whose witchcraft and manipulation of life and death twist the film into supernatural territory.
Cregger structures Weapons as a puzzle-box narrative, each thread revealing a different perspective on the disappearance. The fractured storytelling mirrors the chaos and paranoia consuming the town, forcing the audience to constantly question what is real and what is illusion. The cinematography is stark and dreamlike, moving from quiet, domestic despair to surreal and nightmarish visions that blur the line between folklore and psychological breakdown.
What makes Weapons stand out is its bold refusal to provide easy answers. Instead of a clean resolution, the film builds toward a finale that is as haunting as it is devastating, leaving viewers to grapple with unsettling questions about morality, collective trauma, and the human thirst for control. Like Hereditary or The Witch, it’s a film that lingers long after the credits roll, demanding reflection and discussion.
While its ambition may polarize audiences—some may find its fragmented narrative frustrating—the daring risks pay off for those willing to surrender to its slow-burn, surreal rhythm. Weapons cements Zach Cregger as one of the most exciting voices in modern horror, proving that he can move beyond simple shocks into complex, layered storytelling.
Verdict: A provocative, unforgettable horror experience, Weapons is destined to be one of 2025’s most talked-about films—terrifying, thought-provoking, and impossible to shake.
