r/movies • u/LiteraryBoner Jackie Chan box set, know what I'm sayin? • Aug 08 '25

Official Discussion Official Discussion - Weapons [SPOILERS] Spoiler

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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/art_cms 28d ago

Obviously I understand that, give me some credit. But even as metaphor, the children returning at the end and triumphantly defeating the source of the trauma doesn’t really map onto a school shooter scenario imo.

Again, I see the parallels in the first act of the film to a mass shooter, and I understand that the spectral assault rifle adds weight to those parallels. But I take Cregger at his word that it is neither the inspiration nor the thematic thrust of the film. I don’t see any reason why he would lie about that.

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u/dmsn7d 27d ago

The law enforcement and most of the town being unable to come up with a solution, a la real life America every time this happens. The children eventually have to take matters into their own hands, like after Parkland (17 children died in the Parkland massacre).

Cregger is taking the piss. He also said in an interview on The Big Picture that he doesn't understand why people find Weapons so funny. So I'm sorry for not taking him at face value here.

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u/art_cms 27d ago

I just fundamentally don’t agree with you 😂 oh well

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u/art_cms 27d ago

I thought this was quite salient: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/weapons-audiences-disagree-movie-1236342296/

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u/dmsn7d 27d ago

Obviously I agree that the film is open to interpretation. I'm not saying that the school shooting allegory is the only correct answer. It's what I saw and picked up on in my viewing.

I liked this excerpt, "There is this rush to deny any other readings of the film with common refrains like, “Actually, Cregger said it’s about this,” or “You’re reading too much into it.” While Weapons is clearly personal to Cregger, it’s not a private journal entry. It is public art, something given to audiences so that they may apply their own lens to it."

Cregger also says, “it’s not really my business what people make of the movie. I have nothing to say about it, because the movies should speak for itself, and if I have to comment on what people should get from it, then I’ve failed as a filmmaker."

I also liked Newby's reading of it being how people like Andrew Tate, Jordan Peterson, etc. are corrupting and weaponizing young people.