Weapons (2025)

Absurdity Meets... Terror?

Weapons | Directed by Zach Cregger | Horror/Mystery | 2025 | R | 128 minutes ​

Written by Keane Haddad ​

Typically when I watch horror, I go into the theatre on the premise that I am going to feel some tension and get some good scares in. Having seen Zach Cregger’s 2022 directorial debut, Barbarian, I expected excellent cinematography and scares. And I gotta say, it delivered. However, there are some things I did not expect that somehow worked out in this film's favour. 
The movie does something I haven’t seen many do before with its storytelling—It tells the story in a non-linear fashion. While the movie progresses as a standard mystery would, the perspectives shift like chapters. 
The Film opens with the disappearances of seventeen children from the same third-grade class from their homes in Maybrook, Pennsylvania, at 2:17 a.m. on the same night.

Julia Garner and Paul Morgan in “Weapons” | Source - IMDB ​

We then follow Ms. Justine Gandy (Julia Garner), the children’s teacher, who struggles under the pressure of suspicious parents. Garner does an incredible job portraying an upbeat, caring teacher desperate to solve the mystery. But her investigation into the only child who didn’t go missing makes her appear, from the outside, like a stalker. The film cleverly underscores this by switching perspectives to another character, showing us the same events in a new light without boring repetition. 
Each perspective feels unique, and the casting is excellent. Archer Graff (Josh Brolin), a father of one of the missing kids, is a standout. Early on, during a heated parent-teacher meeting, a father lashes out at Ms. Gandy. Later, when the narrative shifts, we see that Archer was the one yelling, as well as the lead-up and aftermath of that moment. Brolin’s performance as a guilt-ridden, determined father is both heartbreaking and terrifying. His character grounds the film in raw emotion, heightening the stakes at every turn.

John Brolin in “Weapons” | Source - IMDB ​

What makes Weapons especially unique is its blend of horror and comedy. The film balances nail-biting tension with moments so absurd that the theatre erupted in laughter. Normally, humor undercuts horror, but here it feels intentional. Dramatic irony and emotional revelations are often followed by comedic beats that morph the film into something unexpected without breaking immersion. 
The analogue-horror touches are particularly unsettling, specifically the scenes depicting the children running away with their arms stretched out seen through varying quality video-feeds of doorbell cameras that almost become humorous in the children's uncanny-valley nature. The gore is handled with restraint — never gratuitous, but impactful when it matters. Tension-building is another strength, with the film setting up conventional scare patterns, only to completely misdirect us and deliver a jumpscare at an unlikely moment. One early fake-out in particular caught me completely off guard.

Cary Christopher in “Weapons” | Source - IMDB ​

That said, the film loses some of its fear factor halfway through. Once the key mystery is revealed, the atmosphere of dread diminishes. While these revelations are shown rather than explained—avoiding the pitfalls of heavy exposition—the impact still feels diluted. 
The ending, however, is unforgettable. In a shocking tonal shift, the film leans into absurdism and satire. What begins as a deadly serious horror gradually morphs into something that almost shrugs in an implied fourth wall break, with characters like Archer astounded at what they have just witnessed. It's unsettling, funny, and bizarrely fitting. 
Weapons constantly subverts expectations. Even with its flaws, it stands out as one of the most original horror films in recent memory. Its mix of fear, absurdity, and satire may alienate some viewers, but it is precisely this boldness that will likely make it a cult classic in years to come. 
If you plan to watch it, do yourself a favor: avoid trailers, spoilers, and social media clips. The less you know going in, the better.