Weapons Review - Creepy Naruto Running Kids
Format Reviewed: 4K UHD Digital
Director: Zach Cregger
Producers: J. D. Lifshitz, Miri Yoon, Raphael Margules, Roy Lee, Zach Cregger
Starring: Alden Ehrenreich, Amy Madigan, Austin Abrams, Benedict Wong, Cary Christopher, Josh Brolin, Julia Garner
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Release: August 8th, 2025
Genre: Supernatural Horror
Rating: R
Running Time: 128 minutes
Budget: $38 million
Box Office: $267 million
When all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.
I don't know much about the director of Weapons, Zach Cregger, but I do know that his previous film — Barbarian — has been highly recommended to me for the last several years.
Although I haven't gotten around to Barbarian yet, Weapons gripped my attention the moment I saw the first trailer by laying out a mysterious plot with a very interesting concept — what happens when an entire class of kids, save for one, suddenly go missing in the middle of the night?
The film stitches together a fresh and morbid tale through the perspective of several intertwining characters similar to the cult classic Trick 'r Treat.
Dread and suspense are consistent throughout the entire film, with some scenes — such as the one involving a sleepy driver and a pair of scissors — bringing the tension to brand-new heights that I haven't felt during a movie in a long time.
Thankfully, this atmospheric horror triumphs over jump scares. They are present in the film but end up being fewer than a handful throughout the entire movie. This is a decision that automatically bumps a horror movie’s rating higher in my mind, as I find the “cheap” jump scare tactic gets old if you use it too often.
Something I didn't expect from this movie was the comedic moments, which aren't overdone but are always very welcome. One of Josh Brolin's scenes in particular manages to take the words right out of your mind as you're watching and gets a big laugh as you realize how aware the director must be of the audience’s emotions.
Watching the mystery of Maybrook unfold never felt like a chore and I found myself engaged and ready for whatever was coming next throughout the entire 128 minute runtime.
An interesting plot, wicked visuals, intriguing mystery, a focus on suspense over relying simply on jumpscares, and a very satisfying amount of comic relief to ease the tension when it's needed most make Weapons and easy recommendation for anyone looking for a new horror film to entertain this spooky season.
Weapons is an excellent new addition to the horror genre.
With an intriguing mystery, tense scenes that don’t rely solely on jump scares to make your skin crawl, and a healthy dose of comic relief, it’s an easy recommendation for anyone looking for a fresh horror tale to experience this Halloween season.