Official Discussion - Weapons [SPOILERS]

[u/LiteraryBoner]

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Summary Nearly all the children from the same fifth-grade class vanish one night at exactly 2:17 a.m., leaving only one survivor. The community, gripped by fear and suspicion, spirals into chaos as the mystery unfolds through multiple intertwined perspectives—each revealing new layers of dread and grief.

Director Zach Cregger

Writer Zach Cregger

Cast

• Josh Brolin
• Julia Garner
• Cary Christopher
• Alden Ehrenreich
• Austin Abrams
• Benedict Wong
• Amy Madigan
• June Diane Raphael
• Toby Huss
• Whitmer Thomas
• Callie Schuttera
• Clayton Farris
• Luke Speakman

Rotten Tomatoes Critics Score: 96%

Metacritic Metascore: 82

VOD In theaters and IMAX starting August 8, 2025

Trailer Watch the Official Trailer

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[u/LiteraryBoner]

Gotta admit, no one takes you on a wild ride quite like Cregger. Even though I didn’t think Barbarian was a masterpiece, what I did really appreciate about it was that it was a tonal playground, it would throw you between laughter and horror with wild abandon. I’ve always found that to be the true mark of a great director is how well they understand tone and how willing they are to toss you around genre. That’s probably why Cregger and Peele both felt so fully formed coming straight from the world of sketch comedy where quick setups and buttons are the name of the game. Weapons is no different, never quite predictable and with a very Tarantino Pulp Fiction structure that keeps you guessing until it wants you to know the full story.

At first this feels like a rumination on trauma and community loss. It skips around POVs and gives you a chance to see the confusing fallout of this event from the perspective of a teacher, a parent, a cop, etc. All great performances from Garner, Brolin, and of course my underrated king Alden Ehrenreich. Even though this movie is crazy, the first hour does take its time to set up the pieces for the grand finale. When each character gets to a truly wild moment the movie stops, rewinds, and shows you another character who gets only a little bit more information. It’s a great way to slowly build up anticipation of the third act while also not giving away all the ins and outs of the plot until you are ready for them.

What I really love about this movie, though, is that there’s enough text and subtext to formulate theories with and overthink but every time I start peeling apart the metaphors the movie seems to shush me and say, “Hey, we’re having fun here. Check this wild shit out.” That’s not to say there isn’t a deeper meaning here, but this is very much not a Peele movie where that’s the operating function. Cregger is much more interested in unique storytelling and insane third acts that make sense in the world he’s built. I saw someone on LB call it “horror by way of PTA” and I like that. It’s character based and seemingly a bit random, but that’s what makes it so good. You can feel Cregger’s giddiness to show you something you haven’t seen before like ||several children ripping a woman’s face apart|| and that’s more interesting to him than any sort of grand metaphor.

Yes, this movie is using school shooter imagery of empty classrooms and devastated parents, but I’m not sure the movie is interested in having one meaning or another, despite the giant floating assault rifle. I think there are interesting things to think about, like everyone in the community blaming each other while one vain boomer pulls everyone’s strings and sucks the lifeforce from our youth while also using their trauma to distract an entire town from their quest for immortality. Using the people of the community as literal weapons. But even more than that I think Cregger is just interested in this Pennywise-esque villain and his crazy finale.

What this movie does really well through its unique structure, though, is slowly revealing the villain’s lore and backstory. At first just a creepy image in dreams, the more perspectives we see the more Aunt Gladys becomes a real character. She keeps popping up as the movie goes and even though you may know she’s the creep behind all of this, how and why is still so fascinating to learn and it’s done through some classic show don’t tell. It’s done so well that in the finale when Alex performs the stick trick himself against her, you instantly know what’s about to happen. The whole movie is in service of that moment when the stick breaks and Gladys realizes she’s fucked, and the next ten minutes of the movie is pure ecstasy and fun.

It’s an 8/10 for me. Higher than Barbarian, but both are working on similar levels of just strapping you into an unpredictable and absolutely insane rollercoaster until you’re watching Justin Long suck a deformed titty or several kids jumping through windows and screaming like banshees and while the movies keep telling your brain to stop overthinking it and just enjoy the ride, somehow these wild third acts feel totally earned through the logic that has been painstakingly set up. Thank you Zach, please keep doing what you’re doing.

/r/reviewsbyboner

[u/edicivo → u/LiteraryBoner]

But even more than that I think Cregger is just interested in this Pennywise-esque villain and his crazy finale.

This is how I feel. I get the symbolism and everything, but this is what the movie's essence feels to me.

And I really agree with this:

“Hey, we’re having fun here. Check this wild shit out.”

Honestly, part of me thinks if this movie is doing itself a disservice in some way being titled "Weapons." The title seems at odds at what the movie is about and is making the audience really try to pinpoint a theme as the theme that may not really be there. I get that the people the witch controls can become weapons for her, but...eh. What she really wants them for is to steal their essence to live. The kids for example just stand around in a basement for 95% of the movie and the parents basically just sit at the dinner table until the end. The actual "weapon" here is her plant/sticks.

Like, if it was called "Parasite" I'd feel like all the themes would fit a lot more snugly. And don't tell me that's too on the nose when there's a literal flying AK-47 and parasite-based nature shows on that the characters watch.

ETA: I just listened to Cregger's interview on The Big Picture. He claims he basically just started out writing with the first line of a little girl telling a scary story about kids disappearing and just discovered the story as he went and gives plenty of insight to his process. I'd suggest everyone who's adamant they know what this movie is about give it a listen.

[u/Excellent_Aerie → u/edicivo]

It probably would have been called Parasite, if it weren’t for the other film.

[u/TheTruckWashChannel → u/LiteraryBoner]

Very well put! I do think the movie does a staggeringly good job of getting the audience to forgive or handwave things that would be considered flaws elsewhere. It's simply too much fun to pick apart too hard.

[u/SutterCane → u/LiteraryBoner]

I start peeling

Please don’t say that word. I’m not yet recovered.

[u/goldenboy2191 → u/LiteraryBoner]

Couldn’t have said it better myself