Streaming Review: WEAPONS

The talk at the Cineplex in the summer of 2025 was of Zach Cregger’s WEAPONS and the BankofMarquis is here to tell you that this talk was very much earned as it is a terrific, tense suspense/thriller/horror film that is unique and original and sticks the landing (which is a tough thing to do).

Told in Chapters from the participants involved, WEAPONS tells the tale of a small town that is trying to make sense of - and solve - the mystery as to why 17 children got up in the middle of the night and disappeared.

Since he is both Director and Writer of this piece, Cregger (BARBARIANS) has a strong handle on this piece and understands how he wants to tell this tell and how quickly (or slowly) information is doled out. Since this information is doled out in POV shots from the various participants, many of the same items are shown…but differently…depending on that particular character’s point of view (or mood) at that moment. It is an effective way to tell a story (and certainly a GREAT way to tell THIS story) for some of the P.O.V.’s that we get are more reliable than others.

Julia Garner (TV’s OZARK) stars as the school teacher who’s class disappears and instantly becomes the top suspect. She is joined by hot-headed parent, Josh Brolin (NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN), calm School Principal Benedict Wong (Wong in the MCU’s DR. STRANGE films) and struggling Police Officer Alden Ehrenriech (SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY). All are strong performers and easily anchor the sections of the film that their P.O.V. is shown through.

HOWEVER, all of these performances are ALMOST overshadowed by the performance of a drug addict played by Austin Adams (SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK) who brings a “you’ve got to be kidding me” aspect to this story that the “average” audience member would bring to a story of this type understanding the bizarreness of the situation while not quite believing what his eyes are seeing.

Oh…and Oscar and Emmy nominated actress Amy Madigan brings an un-hinged madness and macabre mystery to the entire film, swooping in at times and demanding that the audience pay attention to her every time that she is on the screen. It is a performance to NOT be missed.

To say more about this film is to spoil it, but suffice it to say that Cregger has created one of the most original - and well made - suspense/horror films of recent years and is a must watch as the spooky season is upon us.

Letter Grade: A-

8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank (ofMarquis)