Film lovers who agreed that 2022’s Barbarian was fairly intense even for seasoned horror followers have possible been anticipating Zach Cregger’s subsequent directorial outing. That wait is now nearly over, because the mystery-horror Weapons is about to hit the 2025 film calendar on August 8. Early screenings are underway, and first reactions are all speaking in regards to the “off the rails” ending that left one critic “cackling with twisted glee.”
Josh Brolin leads Weapons as the daddy of one in every of 17 kids from the identical class who all went lacking on the identical time one night time. No matter whether or not or not you’ve been ready for this launch, CinemaBlend’s personal Eric Eisenberg assures us that that is one which must be on our radar, posting:
When you’re not already excited for Zach Cregger’s Weapons, know this: it is one in every of 2025’s greatest movies. Its story & construction are fascinating and gripping, it is deliciously scary and it has a depraved humorousness. Oh, and the ending is among the many best issues I’ve seen on the massive display this 12 months.
Effectively you must love the promise of a powerful ending. The plot of Weapons sounds actually intriguing, too, with Julia Garner enjoying Justine, the trainer of the 17 lacking kids (and major suspect of the investigation). Chris Evangelista of SlashFilm calls the film “a memorable suburban nightmare,” writing:
WEAPONS is an absolute blast: a creepy, humorous ensemble piece that takes a MAGNOLIA/PULP FICTION/SHORT CUTS storytelling method to unleash a memorable suburban nightmare. The grand finale had me cackling with twisted glee.
Shak Lambert of CGMagazine, in the meantime, is already interested by catching the upcoming horror film for a second time, saying he can’t wait to see it once more with a crowd. Lambert says:
Weapons is implausible. Greater in scope than Barbarian however a a lot tighter focus. Cregger makes nice use of his ensemble forged and their interconnected tales, and the third act goes off the rails.
Germain Lussier of Gizmodo has numerous adjectives to explain Weapons’ ending, and whereas it could be much less surprising than Zach Cregger’s earlier film, Lussier says this one is “higher” (and with practically 10 occasions the price range of Barbarian, I’d say “higher” was undoubtedly the purpose). The critic posts:
Weapons is past tousled & I cherished each second of it. It is Magnolia the horror film, as a number of characters circle a giant, creepy thriller. Little bit of a sluggish burn, nevertheless it pays off in big, superior, gory, disturbing methods. Much less surprising than Barbarian, however a lot better.
Critic Edward Douglas says to be cautious of spoilers for this one, however appears to agree with others that the film builds to a wild conclusion, writing:
It is a very completely different film from Barbarian, undoubtedly extra of a slow-build than some is likely to be anticipating, however the final act is completely HORRIFYING AF!
Griffin Schiller of FilmSpeak calls Weapons “a horror masterpiece and one of the best movie of the 12 months,” utilizing different extremely regarded motion pictures and filmmakers to attempt to clarify what Zach Cregger has completed. Schiller says:
It is Prisoners by the use of Magnolia with a number of the Coen’s absurdist humor. A fully BRILLIANT commentary on the attitudes and establishments in the course of the fallout of a communal tragedy. The harmful sensationalism, our obsession with understanding WHY, our insistence on leaping guilty and hyper fixating on the irrelevant inhibits our potential to be productive and discover options in order that means the objectively irregular doesn’t turn into…regular. A chilling masterclass in suspense and POV storytelling that exposes a society with dwindling empathy that tolerates dehumanizing acts. I am OBSESSED. That is one movie I will not have the ability to shake!
First reactions are indicating loads of pleasure round Zach Cregger’s Weapons, particularly that apparently wild conclusion. I like that even after studying these opinions, there’s nonetheless a lot thriller surrounding the story, and I look ahead to checking this horror film out when it hits theaters Friday, August 8.
Within the meantime, if you wish to relive Cregger’s earlier work, Barbarian is out there to stream with a Netflix subscription.