Weapons (2025)

"THANK YOU, Zach Creggar!" Back in 2022, this now established star in the horror film genre gave us the quirkily creepy, unexpectedly funny (at times!) cinematic gem that was "Barbarian". It felt like a cool breeze just washed over us as, for ONCE, the much traversed roads these films tend to go with got an upgrade of uniqueness without sacrificing the ambiance of uneasiness you desire. Well, I at least desire this, given that's the form of these movies I prefer.

All this notwithstanding, when seeing that it was Creggar behind "Weapons", it piqued my interest immediately. And while slightly delayed in seeing it, I finally took it in and......"THANK YOU once AGAIN, Zach Creggar!!" By golly, the filmmaker carried it off in absolutely fantastic form, deftly maintaining his blend of haunting atmospheres tempered with splashes of humor, a stellar cast, and one whopper of a tale to spin that certainly delivers the unnerving with style.

The initial but very effective slow burn approach the film takes serves it so adeptly as it purposefully spells out the events in a small town where, in one night, at precisely 2:17am, 17 children ran out of their homes into the dark, never to come back. Additional catches....they were all from ONE local teacher's elementary school classroom, and ONE student DIDN'T vanish. From there, it's mystery, suspense, tension, and the beautifully executed revelations..piece by disturbing piece.

Starting from the investigations for the unsolved supernatural event, I thought the narrative was going for describing the mental torture of being witch-hunted as an innocent person. It unexpectedly turned out to be multiple stories instead of one. Apart from a haunting mystery, the interactions and relationships between the characters are the main aspect leading the audience’s curiosity and emotions. We have stories about school policies, cheating, a homeless person’s hustle, and the power dynamic in the police station, and so on, which are not always related to the central event but are still at the edge of breakdown for their own sake. Smartly, through these different points of view in the semi-chronological order, the truth was unveiled in front of our eyes without being confusing.

In the chapter of Marcus, his partner was obviously charmed by Gladys’s appearance and behaviors—an elder woman dressed in bold, colorful, and stylish clothes with enthusiastic and eccentric manners: a typical kind of woman that a lot of gay men would adore. Without showing him and Marcus kissing or calling each other darling, the film shows their domestic and adorable interactions and couple costumes. With his blurring facial expressions in the background, we can see he was even more intrigued after she asked for a bowl to drink water. This is one of the most authentic and subtle representations of queers on screen I’ve seen recently. I, too, would be so invested if I met a woman like this, who I hope is not a witch. This short encounter right before the beginning of the climax (and killings) is the most amusing part of this film for me, among all the humor elements planted inside.

There are two parts where the idea of parasites was brought up. One is in the TV program Marcus and his partner were watching, and the other one is the lesson Justine taught in class in Alex’s memory. In the second half of the film (also hinted at in the title), it gave space to the audience’s imagination, wondering about what exactly the cruel way is used to control children. I assumed the procedure would be incredibly loathsome, similar to the parasites invading ants’ bodies. It’s revealed at the end it's a neat witchcraft involved with a bell, wooden sticks, hair, and water. It’s hard to tell if it’s a relief or disappointment.

As a common vehicle for horror, the door also features as a major part in this film. But instead of creating fear from its possible opening, the door here creatively presents as a hollow black hole, sucking all the light in. The persons emerged from the void like a manifestation of evil in everyday life. The dream sequence of Archer is also very refreshing: a giant rifle appeared in the sky above the house, with red light shining from inside.

In my opinion, we’re living in a very strange but thrilling cinematic year—especially for horror. While many other genres feel like they’re simply coasting, horror is out here delivering peak storytelling, standout direction, and some of the most emotionally and thematically rich screenplays we've seen in a long time. From Sinners to Bring Her Back to the unsettling resurrection of Final Destination: Bloodlines, the genre is flexing. And now, right at the start of August, Zach Cregger’s Weapons has arrived, hitting theaters alongside juggernaut superhero franchises—but unlike those 200-million-dollar spectacles, this film chooses eerie restraint and deeply human fear over bombastic CGI.

With an estimated budget of $38 million, Weapons was produced by New Line Cinema after a heated bidding war (which, fun fact, included Netflix, Universal, and Sony/Tristar). I have to say, I’m personally grateful that Pedro Pascal ultimately didn’t take the lead role. Don’t get me wrong—I love the guy, and yes, I sobbed my way through The Last of Us Season 2 like the rest of us. But after seeing him in three movies in under two months, I was due for a Pascal pause. Instead, we’re gifted with a pitch-perfect ensemble: the phenomenal Emmy-winner Julia Garner (Ozark, The Wolf Man), the ever-commanding Josh Brolin (Avengers: Endgame, Outer Range), the criminally underrated Alden Ehrenreich (Fair Play, Oppenheimer), and Benedict Wong (Doctor Strange, 3 Body Problem). Interestingly, most of them have ties to the Marvel universe—yet here they are, grounded in an indie horror thriller that ditches capes for real dread and a creeping sense of paranoia.