Weapons (Zach Cregger, 2025, USA)

Weapons is the latest film from writer-director Zach Cregger, following his acclaimed solo directing/screenwriting debut Barbarian (2022). Perhaps one of the most anticipated films of 2025, Weapons had an excellent marketing campaign that drummed up interest around the core premise of the film - a group of kids from a single elementary school classroom all run away from home at the same time (2:17 AM). The only ones remaining are the teacher Justine (Julia Garner) and one student, Alex (Cary Christopher). This initial pitch is quite compelling, and it creates a very strong opening act for the film.

Cregger’s screenplay takes a multi-perspective approach, switching between different narrators throughout the film. This is a risky gamble from a structural perspective, though it mostly works here. The comparisons to Magnolia are a bit overblown, but the film does manage to capture the nuance of American small-town life in the face of a mysterious tragedy. If the film evokes anything, it is the works of Stephen King - not only in its premise, but also in its small-town setting and the emphasis on the different types of characters involved. While it is hard to make comparisons to Weapons, it would seem that on a spiritual level, it bears something in common with It.

While Weapons has been met with almost universal critical and commercial acclaim, the film doesn’t quite make its landing. One does get the sense that Cregger was biting off a bit more than he can chew here, and many of the metaphors (the most obvious being school shootings) seem to be just the start of ideas. Weapons may have worked better with an additional hour, or as a short-form series. That said, in an era where originality is in short supply, Weapons should be commended for its ambition and the strength of its direction.

8/10