--- title: "Weapons" year: 2025 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/weapons" fi1m_id: "weapons" imdb_id: "tt26581740" tmdb_id: 1078605 wikidata_id: "Q126487478" fi1m_score: 75 critics_score: 76 critics_reviews: 21 published: "2026-09-09" updated: "2026-09-18T08:37:49.876138+00:00" region: "CL" 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." --- # Weapons (2025) Directed by Zach Cregger · 2h 09m · CCC 18 · Horror, Mystery ## Identity Weapons - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/weapons - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** weapons - **IMDb ID:** tt26581740 - **TMDB ID:** 1078605 - **Wikidata ID:** Q126487478 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26581740/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1078605, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q126487478 **Fi1m score: 75** · Critics 76 from 21 reviews *In a sentence:* The children run off at 2:17 in the morning; the grown-ups take 129 minutes and one alarming aunt to work out why > Zach Cregger’s follow-up to *Barbarian* is a horror-mystery about a class of children who vanish in the night, told chapter by chapter and made with skill. The first hour frightened us; the last half hour is louder and sillier, and we liked it less. ## Synopsis One night at 2:17, every child in Mrs Gandy’s class gets out of bed, opens the front door and runs into the dark. None of them comes back. The one pupil who did not go is Alex (Cary Christopher), who will not say what he knows. Their teacher, Justine (Julia Garner), becomes the town’s suspect by default. Archer (Josh Brolin), whose son is among the missing, wants answers and does not care how he gets them. Zach Cregger’s film follows them, and a local policeman (Alden Ehrenreich), a drifter (Austin Abrams) and the headteacher (Benedict Wong), chapter by chapter, each picking up a little before the last left off. Amy Madigan plays Gladys, Alex’s aunt, who arrives to help. ## Review A child’s voice (Scarlett Sher) sets it out at the start, the way you might tell a story at a sleepover. One night at 2:17, every child in one class got out of bed, went downstairs, opened the front door and ran into the dark, and none of them came back. Zach Cregger, whose last film was *Barbarian*, then spends 129 minutes on the town they left behind. It is a good horror film, frightening for an hour and clever for longer than that, and in its last act it becomes a louder, sillier film that we enjoyed less. The best thing in it comes early. Larkin Seiple shoots the streets at night under orange lamps with a great deal of black between them, and the children run down the middle of the road with their arms held straight out behind them, as children do when they pretend to fly. Some of it we see on doorbell cameras, small and grey and silent. We felt cold watching it, a cold that started in the shoulders, and nothing in the film’s later, busier stretches came near it. The film is built in chapters, each named for one person and each starting a little before the last one ended. Julia Garner plays Justine, the class’s teacher, who has done nothing wrong and is treated by the town as though she had; Garner keeps her tight and jumpy, drinking in the car, with a temper showing under the fear. Josh Brolin is Archer, whose son is among the missing, and he plays grief as a man who has decided to be angry instead. Alden Ehrenreich is a local policeman with troubles of his own, Austin Abrams a thief who keeps ending up in the wrong houses, Benedict Wong the headteacher with an empty classroom to explain. Joe Murphy cuts so that a scene we watched from the pavement turns up again from inside the window, and that is a real pleasure. It also has a cost. By the fourth chapter we knew the rhythm and were waiting for it. Somewhere in the middle Amy Madigan arrives as Gladys, an aunt of Alex (Cary Christopher), the one boy who stayed in bed, and the film gets its second wind. Trish Summerville dresses her in a bright wig, a cardigan and make-up a shade too heavy, so that she looks like a children’s entertainer who has stopped caring, and Madigan plays her with a flat cheerfulness that turns every ordinary line into a threat. We will not say what she is. We can say that we laughed at her and were frightened of her inside the same minute, and that Tom Hammock’s design of the house where she settles, curtains drawn, things on the table that do not belong in a family home, does half her work for her. The music, by Cregger with Ryan Holladay and Hays Holladay, is mostly a low hum under the scenes that now and then jumps at you, and it is used sparingly enough that the jumps land. Cregger’s real skill is the pause before the thing: a corridor held a beat too long, a figure at the back of the frame who has not moved and should have. Then the last half hour, which we will not describe, except to say that the film stops being a mystery and becomes a chase, and explains its mechanism as thoroughly as a manual. The gore goes up, the comedy goes up with it, and the audience we sat with cheered. We laughed too, and then felt slightly ashamed of ourselves, because the question the film had spent an hour making us care about, why did those children walk out, gets a plain answer, and the answer is smaller than the question. Some critics have called the film hollow. We would not go that far; a horror film owes us fear, not a thesis. But nothing here will follow you to bed the way the running children do. Set against *Barbarian* this is bigger, more populated and more confident, and it ends in much the same place, with a monster and a joke. At 129 minutes it is a quarter of an hour too long, and the quarter is in the chapters that revisit rather than advance. See it in a full cinema for the last act and at home with the lights off for the first hour. You will not get both in one sitting. *Fi1m score 75, published 9 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics like Weapons, and a good many like it a great deal. The praise clusters around Cregger’s chapter structure, which tells the story of the disappearing children from several overlapping points of view, and around the way the film keeps horror and comedy in the same room without either spoiling the other. Amy Madigan’s turn as Aunt Gladys is named again and again as the performance that lifts it, and several reviews single out the final chapter as the pay-off the puzzle earns. The reservations are consistent too: a minority find the film slick but shallow, more weird than frightening, with the Financial Times and the Guardian both complaining that the ideas run thin once the mystery is solved. Little White Lies thinks it retreads Barbarian. The New Yorker is the one outright dissenter, finding the ending a gross-out joke. The spread is wide at the bottom and crowded at the top. ## Straight answers **Is Weapons worth watching?** *Weapons* is worth watching for anyone who likes a horror mystery told in overlapping chapters, and we scored it 75. The first hour, with the children running down orange-lit streets at 2:17 in the morning, frightened us more than anything that follows. The last half hour turns into a louder, gorier chase with a plain answer, and we liked it less. **How long is Weapons, and what is it rated?** *Weapons* runs 2h 09m and is rated 18 by the CCC in Chile. It is a horror and mystery film. **Where can I watch Weapons in Chile?** *Weapons* is streaming on HBO Max in Chile, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video from CLF 1.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How violent or frightening is Weapons, and is it suitable for children?** *Weapons* is certified 18 in the UK and R in the US, and it is not for children. The first hour is quietly frightening, built on held pauses and figures at the back of the frame; the last half hour has heavy gore played partly for laughs. Amy Madigan's Gladys unsettles in a way the squeamish and the easily rattled may find hard to shake. **How does Weapons compare to Picnic at Hanging Rock?** *Weapons* and [*Picnic at Hanging Rock*](https://film.one/film/picnic-at-hanging-rock) both begin with schoolchildren vanishing, but Peter Weir never explains his disappearance and Zach Cregger explains his in full. Weir's film is the better one, patient and sunlit, its mystery lasting decades. Cregger's is the noisier and more fun in a full cinema, with chapter structure and jumps, but its answer is smaller than its question. **What should I watch after Weapons?** After *Weapons*, try [*Barbarian*](https://film.one/film/barbarian) (2022, Fi1m 77): Cregger’s previous film: smaller, meaner, and the same trick of changing the film halfway through. Then [*Picnic at Hanging Rock*](https://film.one/film/picnic-at-hanging-rock) (1975, Fi1m 88): Schoolgirls vanish on an outing and Peter Weir declines to explain; the not knowing lasts for decades; and [*The Vanishing*](https://film.one/film/the-vanishing) (1988, Fi1m 88): A Dutch thriller about a disappearance that answers its question, and the answer is worse than silence. ### Reviews we read (26) - **Time Out**, Phil de Semlyen (5/5): The critic calls it one of the best horror movies of the year and possibly the best comedy, hailing its wildly creepy, bleakly hilarious invention and satisfying final reel that ties up the knotty narrative. They single out the playful, unexpected path and the way it packs playfulness and invention for praise. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/weapons-review-2025) - **IndieWire**, David Ehrlich (A): The critic hails the film as a wildly satisfying genre epic and antidote to recent trauma-focused horror, praising its ambitious cross between domestic horror and sketch comedy. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/weapons-horror-movie-review-zach-cregger-1235143451/) - **Empire**, John Nugent (90/100, inferred): The critic calls it a hugely accomplished horror achievement and significant step up from Barbarian. They single out the masterful balancing of serious themes with scares, humour and a cathartic, well-staged finale. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/weapons/) - **The Times** (90/100, inferred): The critic hails the film as gorgeous, terrifying and the best thriller of the year, praising its remarkable handling of the story of disappearing children. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/weapons-film-review-vwq35m9sp) - **Los Angeles Times**, Amy Nicholson (85/100, inferred): The critic calls it a spellbinding, disorderly mystery that layers overlapping perspectives to reveal the truth piecemeal. Cregger excels at fusing the ordinary with the outrageous and leaves viewers with potent unanswered questions. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2025-08-07/weapons-review-josh-brolin-julia-garner-amy-madigan-zach-cregger) - **The AV Club**, Jacob Oller (B+): The critic calls it a delightfully nasty, bold, funny, and endlessly scary follow-up that spirals from unimaginable loss with clever mystery, likable characters, and playful horror. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/weapons-review) - **Radio Times** (4/5): The critic hails it as an unnerving, riveting and thunderously entertaining horror epic that more than delivers on its promise with a propulsive, perfectly paced thriller structure. They single out the deft juggling of tones, including black humour and camp, along with the brilliant reveal for praise. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/app/weapons-review-one-of-the-best-horror-films-of-recent-years/) - **The Observer**, Guy Lodge (80/100, inferred): The critic praises the film’s eerie storytelling, strong performances and command of sensation while highlighting its depiction of US blame culture and community breakdown as particularly effective. [Read](https://observer.co.uk/culture/film/article/the-horror-of-weapons-is-its-depiction-of-us-blame-culture) - **The Telegraph** (4/5): The critic calls it a deranged horror that ramps up from eerie suburban drama to a twisted tale of mass child disappearance, delivering a knockout finale that is twisted, hilarious and savage. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/weapons-review-zach-cregger/) - **Vulture** (80/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a twisty-turny hoot that navigates an unnerving middle way between metaphor and piffle, with an oblique structure enhancing dread and a charmingly ridiculous direction. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/article/review-zach-creggers-weapons-is-a-twisty-turny-hoot.html) - **The New York Times**, Manohla Dargis (75/100, inferred): The critic praises Cregger's skill at sustaining an ominous mood in a horror film centered on missing children. The narrative structure and delayed reveals build tension effectively around the central mystery. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/07/movies/weapons-review.html) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, David Rooney (70/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's expert craft, atmospheric style, strong cast, and chapter structure but finds it ultimately lacking in psychological depth or substance, more consistently weird than scary. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/weapons-review-julia-garner-josh-brolin-zach-cregger-horror-1236337427/) - **Variety**, Peter Debruge (70/100, inferred): The review highlights the hypnotic, multi-perspective structure that keeps imaginations engaged for most of the runtime. While the ending narrows the mystery's scope, Cregger crafts a twisted, memorable bedtime story with strong performances and atmosphere. [Read](https://variety.com/2025/film/reviews/weapons-review-1236478324/) - **Financial Times**, Danny Leigh (60/100, inferred): The critic praises the luminous visuals, jarringly funny moments and hyper-eerie mood but complains that the horror turns hokey and the film has the depth of a puddle despite its ambition. [Read](https://www.ft.com/content/1f9fd365-d5ba-4c98-838d-9a0ab9031b87) - **Little White Lies**, Hannah Strong (4/3/3): The critic finds the film’s strong start and effective scares undermined by scattered ideas and a tendency to fall back on familiar territory from the director’s previous work. They single out the spiky humour and Amy Madigan’s scene-stealing turn for praise while complaining that the big reveal and overall approach feel like a rehash. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/weapons) - **The Guardian** (55/100, inferred): The critic finds Cregger’s follow-up an initially ambitious yet ultimately simplistic ensemble horror that offers jolting moments but lacks substance and depth. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/aug/06/weapons-review-zach-creggers) - **Slant Magazine**, Taylor Williams (2/4): The critic notes the blend of horror and comedy succeeds overall with grounded characters and invoked social issues, though some fake-outs and the climax's comedy undercut tension. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/weapons-review-zach-cregger-josh-brolin-julia-garner/) - **The New Yorker**, Richard Brody (40/100, inferred): The review finds the film a conventional but slick mystery that ultimately reduces its unsettling premise to a gross-out joke and superficial effects. Cregger's approach misses deeper resonances in favor of predictable genre thrills. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/08/18/weapons-movie-review-harvest) - **Screen Daily**: The critic describes an intricately plotted, supremely twisty horror thriller that takes its time laying out an elaborate story before the myriad strands come together in immensely satisfying fashion. They single out the gripping final chapter that delivers sustained terrors while noting the puzzle-box plot risks the mystery outshining the payoff. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/weapons-review-julia-garner-and-josh-brolin-lead-barbarian-filmmakers-inventive-new-horror/5207519.article) - **Sight and Sound**, Kim Newman: The critic praises Cregger’s elaborate, mosaic-structured follow-up to Barbarian as a deliberately tricky gruesome puzzle-box horror that justifies its length through its labyrinthine path from puzzlement to understanding. They single out Amy Madigan’s startlingly eccentric turn as Aunt Gladys for leavening the horror with absurdist comedy while delivering jolts. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/weapons-gruesome-puzzle-box-horror-jolts-jump-scares) - **/Film**, Chris Evangelista (9/10): The critic calls it a twisted, funny, and scary suburban nightmare that blends horror and humor effectively while tapping into modern fears. They single out the ensemble structure and macabre finale for praise. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/1921974/weapons-2025-movie-review/) - **Collider**, Ross Bonaime (8/10): The critic praises Cregger for balancing horror and comedy perfectly in an ambitious, inventive film that may be the best horror of 2025. They single out the multi-perspective structure, tense direction, and standout performances from the ensemble, especially Amy Madigan. [Read](https://collider.com/weapons-review-zach-cregger-josh-brolin-julia-garner/) - **Polygon**, Jesse Hassenger (80/100, inferred): The critic says Cregger outdoes himself with a more conventional yet unpredictable horror drama that delivers a satisfying payoff, eerie imagery, and effective scares. They single out the multiple-POV structure inspired by Magnolia and the atmospheric, momentum-maintaining direction. [Read](https://www.polygon.com/weapons-review-zach-cregger/) - **Deadline**, Pete Hammond: Cregger delivers another impressive horror mystery with a brilliant ensemble led by Garner and Brolin. The film stands out for its creepy atmosphere, strong performances, and layered storytelling that builds on the director's previous work. [Read](https://deadline.com/2025/08/weapons-review-josh-brolin-julia-garner-zach-cregger-horror-1236479231/) - **Den of Geek**, David Crow (4 out of 5): The review praises Cregger's follow-up to Barbarian as a ruthlessly diabolical and twisted studio thriller that cleverly reveals its American Gothic mystery. It singles out the novelistic puzzle-box structure, tonal mashup, and uniformly excellent performances for particular commendation. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/weapons-review-most-twisted-studio-movie-of-the-year/) - **Paste**, Jarrod Jones (8.9): The critic commends Cregger's sharper comic-horror instincts and the film's brutal, engrossing exploration of loss, paranoia, and social rot in a small town. They single out the chapter structure, ensemble chemistry between Garner and Brolin, and its wicked folk-horror spin. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/weapons/weapons-review-zach-cregger-horror-movie-barbarian-plot-twist-josh-brolin-julia-garner-children) ## Details - **Director:** Zach Cregger - **Director:** Zach Cregger - **Writer:** Zach Cregger - **Cinematography:** Larkin Seiple - **Editor:** Joe Murphy - **Music:** Zach Cregger, Ryan Holladay, Hays Holladay - **Production design:** Tom Hammock - **Costume design:** Trish Summerville - **Producer:** Zach Cregger, Roy Lee, J.D. Lifshitz - **Cast:** Julia Garner as Justine; Josh Brolin as Archer; Alden Ehrenreich as Paul; Austin Abrams as James; Benedict Wong as Marcus; Amy Madigan as Gladys; Cary Christopher as Alex; Toby Huss as Captain Ed - **Runtime:** 2h 09m - **Certificate (CCC):** 18 - **Release (Chile):** 7 August 2025 - **Genres:** Horror, Mystery - **Budget:** $38 million - **Box office:** $270 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKHySfXqN0I ## Where to watch in Chile - HBO Max: streaming, uhd - Amazon Prime Video: rent CLF 1.99, uhd - Amazon Prime Video: buy CLF 6.49, uhd *Checked 2026-09-10.* Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IS, IT, JP, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, TH, TR, UA, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## If you liked this - *Barbarian* (2022), Fi1m 77: Cregger’s previous film: smaller, meaner, and the same trick of changing the film halfway through. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/barbarian.md) - *Picnic at Hanging Rock* (1975), Fi1m 88: Schoolgirls vanish on an outing and Peter Weir declines to explain; the not knowing lasts for decades. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/picnic-at-hanging-rock.md) - *The Vanishing* (1988), Fi1m 88: A Dutch thriller about a disappearance that answers its question, and the answer is worse than silence. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-vanishing.md) - *Magnolia* (1999), Fi1m 84: Many lives in one town, cut together until they collide; the structure Cregger is borrowing. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/magnolia.md) - *The Wicker Man* (1973), Fi1m 90: A policeman, a missing child, a community that smiles too much; the original British version of this dread. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-wicker-man.md) --- © 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/weapons