Weapons (2025) Review: Horror Meets Humor, and It Works

Rather than unfolding in a straightforward linear fashion, Weapons presents its mystery in several chapters, each from a different character’s point of view. Cregger uses this nonlinear, Rashomon-style structure to keep the audience guessing from fresh angles. One chapter follows Justine, another shifts to Brolin’s character, and later segments focus on side characters whose actions prove unexpectedly crucial. This gives every character a chance to shine and ensures each perspective contributes a vital piece of the puzzle. By the time the narratives converge, the audience has a fuller picture of the town’s ordeal and the forces at play. 

That repeated timestamp of 2:17 is more than just a plot device. Cregger has explained that it’s a direct nod to Stephen King’s The Shining. In the novel, Room 217 is where Danny experiences one of his most haunting encounters. While Stanley Kubrick’s film adaptation famously changed the number to 237, Cregger opted to stick with the source material’s original number. He admitted the influence was subconscious but undeniable, noting that although he’s a Kubrick devotee, he ultimately decided to keep his first instinct rather than alter it for the sake of homage.

Additionally, Cregger explained one of Weapon's eeriest visuals: the children's rigid, arms-extended, running posture. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, he said: “There's that terrible photo of that girl in Vietnam with the napalm burn. I think that image is so awful, and the way she's holding her arms out just killed me. I think there's something really upsetting about that posture. If I had to guess, that might be where the seed is from. I don't know. But there was no second-guessing that pose. I knew that they would run that way.” 

Released on August 8, 2025, Weapons promptly shot to the top of the box office with a $42 million opening weekend in North America. That haul blew past expectations and even set a record for Warner Bros. as the studio’s sixth straight film to debut above $40 million. In just a matter of days, the film nearly matched the entire domestic gross of Cregger’s 2022 debut, Barbarian, and it has already surpassed $80 million in global ticket sales. 

Critically, Weapons has earned rave reviews. It holds about a 95% score on Rotten Tomatoes, where the site’s consensus praises Cregger’s “expertly crafted yarn of terrifying mystery and thrilling intrigue” and hails the film as a “sophomore triumph.” It also garnered a rating of 7.9 out of 10 on IMDb, and 81/100 on Metacritic. Audiences are on board, too. The movie received a coveted A− grade from CinemaScore (an unusually high mark for a horror release) and enjoys an 87% positive audience score online. All signs point to Weapons hitting the sweet spot for both critics and the public.

Reviewers have applauded the film’s ability to deliver genuine frights while also subverting genre expectations.“Don’t believe the hype: it’s not a horror; it’s bigger than that,” advised a critic in The Times (UK), suggesting Weapons defies easy labels. IGN’s review hailed it as a “fully actualized genre-bender,” commending how Cregger hones Barbarian’s blend of “unbearable tension and dark humor” to a razor-sharp level. Most found the mix of suspense and sly wit effective. Of course, not everyone was convinced. The Wrap’s critic was one of the few dissenters, finding the final reveal a bit of a letdown. However, even that review praised the cast (particularly Brolin and Garner) for their layered performances, and noted that the cinematography finds an eerie camera angle in nearly every scene.

Minor quibbles aside, there’s a consensus that Weapons is an ambitious and memorable sophomore effort from its director. On a personal note, I found that Weapons was marketed as a straight horror movie but actually delivers plenty of unexpected humor. Cregger laces the tension with well-timed dark comedy moments (often the kind that earn a nervous laugh), and they come as a welcome surprise. Crucially, the movie doesn’t try to stump the audience with an overcomplicated puzzle. Instead, it lays out a trail of breadcrumbs and builds dread steadily toward a big climax. Each chapter peels back another layer, revealing key information without resorting to cheap trickery or confusion. I found this approach far more engaging than a horror-thriller that saves all its secrets for a last-minute twist.

I also thoroughly enjoyed the multi-perspective format. By cycling through different POVs, Weapons gives a well-rounded view of the crisis and makes sure every character we meet has a vital role to play. No storyline feels like filler; each perspective contributes something integral to solving the central mystery of the missing children. It’s a clever narrative strategy that keeps the film cohesive even as it jumps between characters, and it meant I never felt like anyone’s segment was secondary or disposable.

Finally, I think Weapons sticks the landing. The ending wraps up the core story without tying everything in a perfect bow; there are enough answers to satisfy, yet a few lingering questions remain. As one reviewer noted, the climax sheds light without “illuminating the whole picture.” That balance felt just right to me. I walked out satisfied with how the story resolved, while still having a couple of eerie ideas to ponder afterward.

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