WRITER & DIRECTOR
Zach Cregger
Barbarian, The Civil War on Drugs, Miss March

STARS
Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Alden Ehrenreich, Benedict Wong, Austin Abrams, Cary Christopher and Amy Madigan

If your fingertips aren’t yet ready to hit purchase on a ticket to see Weapons like a hunter is prepped to pull the trigger, then please make that the next thing you do after reading this spoiler-free review!

As your trusty Movie ‘doc’ who wants only the best for your film health, it is purely to your benefit that you not only experience Weapons on the big screen, but that you do so pronto, for its secrets will be whispered about before they are widely spoken.

There is no question Weapons is deserving of its hype and positive word-of-mouth. The only valid question is just how highly ranked will it be? To answer this, I had to visit my archives. First and foremost, Weapons is a masterclass in its genre. It already is and will definitely remain one of the year’s best films. It came so close to receiving the perfect 5 star rating from me, yet its quality is unquestionably first-class, and it absolutely has those 5 stars feels throughout. In the end, I rank it as one of the best mystery thriller/horror films of the last decade and the best since Get Out in 2017.

There is very little the makers of this movie wish for you to know about it before seeing it, and I will ensure to keep it that way. 

At no particular date, but at the very specific time of 2 17am, all but 1 child in a class of 18 that attend Maybrook Elementary suddenly and mysteriously vanish. Not from the school itself of course, but rather overnight from their own family homes.

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From as early as the ominous opening right through to the enthralling end, Weapons hits the bullseye on almost every target.

Realism plays a vital and heavy role in proceedings right away. The manner in which one would expect an unsuspecting and shattered teacher (Julia Garner), the calm and measured school principal (Benedict Wong) and the panic-stricken and angry parents of missing children to behave powerfully comes to fruition. This is not only realistic but also puts us in a position where we can understand and empathise with everyone impacted by this extraordinary event. Truly hold care for the concerned characters. It is also the only and last foreseeable development to occur in Weapons!

A brilliant job has been done at safeguarding the trajectory of this film whilst ensuring it always stays steps ahead of its completely transfixed audience. You may correctly guess that several character’s lives are upended by this shocking scenario: teachers to parents to the 1 child, Alex (Cary Christopher), that hasn’t disappeared, but you are in for a stunning structural treat to see the manner in which they are a part of proceedings!

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Writer and director Zach Cregger already impressed with his previous horror film, Barbarian. Weapons is near flawless. He demonstrates so clearly outstanding management of his film’s content in how to structure the storytelling, interrelate character actions, and how it will all be best experienced from the audience’s perspective. A great example of what I am referring to is the juxtaposition of horror and humour. Many films aim to do this and do a pretty good job of getting the appealing combo right. Weapons is next level though! Whether it is seamlessly interjecting the horrors that unfold against the backdrop of mundane life or opting for the occasional jump scare, its very clever camerawork and timing is what elevates it most of all. This movie’s extraordinary ability to always be entirely engrossing while simultaneously frightening and triggering a fit of laughter at once, at any moment it chooses, is an honour to experience and something to behold. Furthermore, what this film does with camerawork, sound mixing and its score is absolutely first class. 

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So then, with all of these glowing accolades, how on earth does it fall short in achieving the perfect score?

Simply put, the film needed to further expand upon what underpins its core mystery. It builds extreme anticipation and sets a high standard that promises to unveil something more mind-blowing than it ultimately possesses.

By no means does this slight shortfall in its finale undo any of its exemplary work all throughout. Weapons is a top shelf cinematic production that boasts a magnificently mystifying story.

Weapons is showing in cinemas across Australia from August 7th, 2025.

Moviedoc thanks Universal Pictures Australia and Warner Bros AU for the invitation to the screening of this film. 

Review by Leigh for Moviedoc

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