---
title: "Onslaught"
year: 2026
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/onslaught"
fi1m_id: "onslaught"
imdb_id: "tt32268691"
tmdb_id: 1284046
wikidata_id: "Q131451703"
fi1m_score: 58
critics_score: 57
critics_reviews: 13
published: "2026-09-20"
updated: "2026-09-20T20:28:40.588917+00:00"
region: "EC"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Onslaught (2026)

Directed by Adam Wingard · 1h 32m · Action, Horror, Thriller

## Identity

Onslaught

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/onslaught
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** onslaught
- **IMDb ID:** tt32268691
- **TMDB ID:** 1284046
- **Wikidata ID:** Q131451703
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32268691/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1284046, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q131451703

**Fi1m score: 58** · Critics 57 from 13 reviews

*In a sentence:* Michael Biehn is in it, which tells you exactly which decade the film would rather be living in

> Adam Wingard goes back to the small siege film he does well, with Adria Arjona holding the door. The style is sure and the score is a pleasure; the film keeps promising a rampage and delivers it in instalments.

## Synopsis

Celeste (Adria Arjona) is a veteran raising a child on her own, and the night this film covers begins with the sound of something arriving outside. What arrives are soldiers, though not the kind she served with: built to order, armoured, and pointed at civilians by a programme that was only ever meant to be pointed abroad. Dr. Hans Kammler (Dan Stevens) and his wife Hanna (Rebecca Hall) are the people with titles rather than callsigns, which in this kind of film tells you what you need to know. In and around the building are Josiah (Reginald VelJohnson), Baylor (Michael Biehn) and Kovacks (Eric Wareheim); coming through the wall is a man billed only as The Butcher (Alex Pereira). Celeste wants her child to see morning. There is a chainsaw, and she knows how to use it.

## Review

Adam Wingard has spent the last few years in the company of giant monsters, and *Onslaught* is his way back to the ground. It is a siege film, 92 minutes long, with a 15 certificate and a script by his regular collaborator Simon Barrett, and its ambitions are the old ones: one woman, one building, one night of men who want to get in. The men are soldiers of an improved kind, and the woman is Celeste (Adria Arjona), a veteran who knows what is coming. That the whole thing plays like a John Carpenter film from around 1980 is the pitch.

Arjona is the reason to see it, and the film has the sense to know this. She plays Celeste without a scene of self-pity, a veteran and a mother who checks every room for its exits and only lets the fear show when there is nobody left to see it. When the film hands her a chainsaw, she holds it low and ready, the way a person who has used one would, and for a few minutes the film is what its title promises. She is better than the picture around her.

The craft is tidy, and tidiness is a mixed blessing here. Oren Soffer lights everything clean and hard, so the blood reads as colour rather than as mess, and there is not a murky frame in the film. Tom Hammock’s production design gives Celeste a building whose corridors we can hold in our heads, and Alexis Forte’s costumes tell us who is a soldier and who is not from across a dark room. Matthew Pusti’s score is synth from first note to last, a low Carpenter throb under the talk and a squall over the fights.

The trouble is that Wingard and Barrett are more in love with the set-up than with what it is for. The first act lays out the conspiracy, the soldiers, the doctor and his wife (Dan Stevens and Rebecca Hall as Hans and Hanna Kammler), and the men who will spend the night in and around the building: Josiah (Reginald VelJohnson), Baylor (Michael Biehn), Kovacks (Eric Wareheim). It is quick, confident work. Then the assault arrives in pieces: a burst of violence, a pause for someone to explain, another burst. Josh Schaeffer and Adam Avery cut the waiting as fast as the fights, so the film never sits still long enough for dread to build.

Here is what we felt. The first breach had us properly on edge, because the film had spent twenty minutes teaching us the doors and then sent something through one of them. Somewhere past the hour we noticed we were waiting rather than watching, and that is a bad thing to notice in a 92-minute film. The film wants to say something about what happens when weapons built for other people’s countries are turned on the people who paid for them. It says it, in dialogue, and goes back to the door. We agreed with it and were not moved by it.

Stevens, so good for Wingard in *The Guest*, has little to play here beyond a title and a suit. Hall has less. Alex Pereira, billed as The Butcher, is a large man who hits things, and the film is not interested in him as anything else. The soldiers are a threat but never a presence, and a siege lives or dies on what is outside.

*You’re Next* (2011) and *The Guest* (2014) were also small films about houses and intruders, and both knew exactly when to turn the joke into a threat. *Onslaught* has the same surface and less nerve. The reviews so far are split almost exactly down the middle. Casting Michael Biehn and Reginald VelJohnson is a nod to [*The Terminator*](https://film.one/film/the-terminator) and [*Die Hard*](https://film.one/film/die-hard) that the intended audience will enjoy, and it is also the kind of nod a film makes when it would rather remind you of other films than be one.

Worth an evening if the genre is yours, late and with the volume up for Pusti. Do not go in expecting the rampage the title sells. It is a siege, a well-mannered one, and the woman holding the door is the best thing in it by some distance.

*Fi1m score 58, published 20 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

The reviews split almost evenly, and few critics are indifferent. Most agree Adria Arjona holds the film together as a veteran single mother turned one-woman army, and that Adam Wingard is more comfortable at this scale than in his recent studio work. The craft draws steady credit: polished, efficient direction, a synth-heavy John Carpenter homage, and violence that several reviewers find satisfyingly bloody.

Where they part is on whether there is anything underneath. The sceptics find the script undercooked and the villains faceless, and The New York Times and Vulture judge its politics of forever wars gestured at rather than argued. The Wrap complains the promised mayhem keeps failing to arrive. The spread is wide: /Film hails it as a worthy heir to Carpenter, while Polygon thinks the political point lands. Whether it has a brain seems to depend on how much the viewer wants one.

## Straight answers

**Is Onslaught worth watching?**

*Onslaught* is worth an evening only if the siege film is your genre, and we scored it 58. Adria Arjona is the reason to see it, holding a building against manufactured soldiers with a chainsaw she plainly knows how to use, and Matthew Pusti's synth score is a pleasure. The rampage the title promises arrives in instalments, and past the hour we found ourselves waiting rather than watching.

**How long is Onslaught, and what is it rated?**

*Onslaught* runs 1h 32m. It is an action and horror film.

**Where can I watch Onslaught in Ecuador?**

*Onslaught* is not on any streaming or rental service in Ecuador at the moment. It is available in 1 other country; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily.

**How violent or frightening is Onslaught, and is it suitable for children?**

*Onslaught* is a 15 in the UK and an R in the US, and it is a violent film built around one night of armed men trying to get into a building. The bloodshed is shot clean and hard rather than as mess, and the frights come in bursts rather than sustained dread. It is not for children; older teenagers used to action horror will cope.

**How does Onslaught compare to The Raid?**

*Onslaught* and [*The Raid*](https://film.one/film/the-raid) are both siege films set in a single building over one relentless stretch, and *The Raid* is the better of the two by a clear margin. Gareth Evans delivers the sustained, punishing rampage that Adam Wingard keeps deferring, with Iko Uwais fighting at a speed and clarity Onslaught never matches. Wingard's film has the stronger lead in Adria Arjona and the better score; Evans's has the nerve.

**What should I watch after Onslaught?**

After *Onslaught*, try [*The Guest*](https://film.one/film/the-guest) (2014, Fi1m 77): Wingard and Barrett’s best film, with Dan Stevens as the soldier you should not have let in. Then [*The Raid*](https://film.one/film/the-raid) (2011, Fi1m 83): Indonesian tower-block siege that delivers the rampage this one keeps deferring; and [*Green Room*](https://film.one/film/green-room) (2015, Fi1m 83): A punk band locked in a backstage room; small, nasty and patient about its violence.

### Reviews we read (13)

- **The AV Club**, Jesse Hassenger (B): The critic calls it a well-crafted B-movie that delivers super-soldier slasher goods but is too enamored with its set-up and world-building, offering limited payoff and human interest. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/onslaught-review)
- **IndieWire**, Wilson Chapman (75/100, inferred): The review highlights Wingard's return to basics with a lean military slasher inspired by John Carpenter, praising Arjona as a protective veteran mother in a thriller with strong genre roots. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/onslaught-review-adria-arjona-1235212736/)
- **Variety** (65/100, inferred): Adam Wingard’s military slasher is a fun but scattered elevated genre romp that needs another draft to tighten its structure. It is counterbalanced by midnight verve and visceral violence that makes it just about worthwhile. [Read](https://variety.com/2026/film/reviews/onslaught-review-1236846021/)
- **The Guardian** (60/100, inferred): The film is a decent but restrained B-movie that showcases Wingard’s polished style without delivering enough gonzo fun or inventive set pieces. Arjona’s committed lead performance as the resourceful single mother is singled out as a highlight amid the sanitised action and slasher elements. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/aug/31/onslaught-movie-review-adria-arjona-adam-wingard)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Angie Han (50/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's vivid details, craftsmanship, and Arjona's performance as a relatable lead but finds the narrative undercooked with unfulfilled promise and underdeveloped villains. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/onslaught-review-adria-arjona-dan-stevens-adam-wingard-1236682893/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Katie Walsh (45/100, inferred): The return to indie horror is disappointing and generic despite its stylish references and gore. It piles up 1980s homages but lacks the brain or fun to make the one-woman-army story worthwhile. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2026-09-04/onslaught-review-adria-arjona-dan-stevens-rebecca-hall-adam-wingard)
- **RogerEbert.com**, Simon Abrams (40/100, inferred): The film is an empty-headed siege picture that feels like a dated 1980s B-movie rehash without meaningful contemporary context. It delivers familiar genre tropes and polished action but lacks memorable characters or novel ideas. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/onslaught-adria-arjona-dan-stevens-adam-wingard-movie-review-2026)
- **The New York Times**, Alissa Wilkinson (35/100, inferred): The gory tribute to 1980s B-movies tries but fails to make a coherent political statement about forever wars. It revels in bloodshed without building a world worth dwelling in beyond the violence. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/03/movies/onslaught-review.html)
- **Vulture** (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a too-slick, anemic grindhouse wannabe that lacks emotional engine or distinct characters, with sterile violence and unfulfilled political themes despite bloody set pieces. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/article/review-onslaught-is-all-blood-no-guts.html)
- **/Film**, Ryan Scott (9/10): The critic calls it a wild, bloody action movie that feels like the greatest John Carpenter film Carpenter never made, with an unabashedly violent, synth-draped homage to 80s genre fare including Assault on Precinct 13 and The Terminator. Praise is singled out for the efficient direction, casting (especially Adria Arjona), and Wingard thriving in his low-budget comfort zone after big studio films. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/2242809/onslaught-review/)
- **Polygon**, Jake Kleinman (85/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's gory, stylish action as a grindhouse throwback blending Terminator, Kill Bill, and John Carpenter influences, with Adria Arjona shining as a chainsaw-wielding lead. They single out its relevant political message about government violence boomeranging back on citizens as what elevates it beyond a simple remix. [Read](https://www.polygon.com/onslaught-review-2026/)
- **Den of Geek**, David Crow (4 out of 5): The critic praises the film's stylish action and Arjona's badass performance as a mother fighting super soldiers, likening it to John Carpenter vibes, while noting its blend of B-movie thrills with deeper themes of trauma. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/onslaught-review-adria-arjona-john-carpenter/)
- **The Wrap** (40/100, inferred): The critic finds the film disappointing as it repeatedly promises action and mayhem that never fully materializes, with poor pacing and underdeveloped characters. Adria Arjona's performance and some stylistic choices by the cinematographer are singled out positively. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/movies/onslaught-review-adria-arjona-dan-stevens/)

## Details

- **Director:** Adam Wingard
- **Director:** Adam Wingard
- **Screenplay:** Simon Barrett
- **Story:** Simon Barrett, Adam Wingard
- **Cinematography:** Oren Soffer
- **Editor:** Adam Avery, Josh Schaeffer
- **Music:** Matthew Pusti
- **Production design:** Tom Hammock
- **Costume design:** Alexis Forte
- **Producer:** Jeremy Platt, Alexander Black, Simon Barrett
- **Cast:** Adria Arjona as Celeste; Dan Stevens as Dr. Hans Kammler; Eric Wareheim as Kovacks; Reginald VelJohnson as Josiah; Michael Biehn as Baylor; Blake Kennedy as Daisy; Alex Pereira as The Butcher; Drew Starkey as Cyrus
- **Runtime:** 1h 32m
- **First release (the Philippines):** 2 September 2026
- **Genres:** Action, Horror, Thriller
- **Budget:** $15 million
- **Box office:** $3 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMLCbpM1fRQ

## Where to watch in Ecuador

Not streaming, renting or buying in Ecuador at the last check.

Also available in: US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *Assault on Precinct 13* (1976): Carpenter’s original one-building siege, on nothing, with a synth line Pusti clearly grew up on.
- *The Guest* (2014), Fi1m 77: Wingard and Barrett’s best film, with Dan Stevens as the soldier you should not have let in. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-guest.md)
- *The Raid* (2011), Fi1m 83: Indonesian tower-block siege that delivers the rampage this one keeps deferring. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-raid.md)
- *Green Room* (2015), Fi1m 83: A punk band locked in a backstage room; small, nasty and patient about its violence. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/green-room.md)
- *La Horde* (2009): French police and gangsters trapped in a Paris high-rise, with the dead on every floor.

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/onslaught