Something wicked comes to the suburbs in Weapons, a horror mystery of excellent craft and frights in which director Zach Cregger flexes his filmmaker muscles with a multi-perspective horror story that never loses its energy or intrigue.
2025 has proven to be a fine year for horror and leading the pack (so far) is Weapons, director Zach Cregger’s follow-up to his 2022 breakthrough Barbarian that draws viewers with its intriguing premise and does not disappoint with Weapons as unique and entertaining an American horror story told in some time.
Weapons begins with a nightmare scenario when at 2:17 am in Maybrook, Pennsylvania, 17 children awaken from their slumber and run – arms outstretched – into the night. A month after the incident several key figures associated with the case – besieged grade four teacher Justine (Julia Garner); grieving father Archer (Josh Brolin); irresponsible cop Paul (Alden Ehrenreich); school principal Marcus (Benedict Wong); and quiet 10 year-old Alex (Cary Christopher) – all find themselves on a dark path that leads to strange newcomer Gladys (Amy Madigan.)
With a film like Weapons there is always a risk that the storytelling cannot live up to the intrigue of the initial premise that grabbed our attention (M. Night Shyamalan is a prime example). Weapons places those fears at ease thanks to Cregger’s engrossing storytelling in which he deploys a Rashomon-style structure to brilliant effect, providing character depth amidst a high-stakes scenario in which societies’ most innocent succumb to a dark force.
Cregger’s deft ability to switch years between creepy stalker POV shots to kinetic action sequences keeps the viewer in a permanent state of jittery anticipation. Cinematographer Larkin Seiple (Spider-Man: Far From Home) wows with the use of innovative camera angles during pivotal scare scenes that play peek-a-boo with our souls, while editor Joe Muprhy (Paper Spiders) brings a mesmerising flow to this paranormal puzzle piece.
A terrific cast all deliver stellar turns. Julia Garner captures that fine line between sympathetic and infuriating as a teacher of good heart but poor decisions, and Josh Brolin effectively portrays a desperate father groping in the dark for answers to his son’s disappearance.
It is an almost unrecognisable Amy Madigan, though, who will haunt the nightmares of many in her portrayal of an eccentric newcomer to the ‘burbs whose Pollyanna inspired red wig combined slapped-on red lipstick is the least terrifying thing about this old soul with a mean streak.
With his second horror feature, Cregger has established himself as an exciting and innovative voice in a horror landscape that has especially thrived this year. Weapons not only has an immediate impact but also delivers as a rewatchable film in which new flourishes - whether in craft or story - are revealed and enhance this most terrific horror ride.
