By Ella Kozlowski
Copy Editor
The film “Weapons” released in theaters Aug 8, 2025, and horror fans all over flocked to see how it compared to other contemporary horror movies, such as “Smile” and “Sinners.” After its release, it became clear that “Weapons” surpassed many viewers’ expectations.
The movie throws the viewer right into the horror with the disappearance of an entire third-grade class, save for one student, Alex (Cary Christopher). The town demands answers from their teacher, Justine (Julia Garner), who claims she has no clue why all the children disappeared. The story is reminiscent of some Stephen King novels, such as “It,” because it deals with a townwide case of missing children with little to no connection between those go missing and those who remain. “Weapons” does have its own spin from other horror movies, however, and is setting up to be another contemporary classic along with “Smile.”
The movie is not just about the chilling atmosphere and rising intensity as the kids remain missing; the movie also features an underlying message. According to NPR, “Weapons is about the dark underbelly of American suburbia.”
The disappearance of the children is similar to the Satanic Panic that happened in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when many parents feared their children were being indoctrinated into a satanic cult. The Panic has been displayed in other media that takes place during the 1980s, such as “Stranger Things.” The disappearances in “Weapons” have an even darker background as the suddenness of the disappearances, as well as the parents’ grief, points to the film being a commentary on the tragedy of school shootings.
The film also features six different perspectives throughout, which would seem to be confusing as the film bounces between different characters. However, the storylines are woven together perfectly to show a clear ripple effect and impact that each character has on each other and the world around them.
According to Awards Watch, “What binds these stories isn’t just the central mystery, but how each character represents a failing in the systems meant to protect and nurture our children.”
“Weapons” is not just a commentary, but also differs from many horror movies in that some of the scares occur when least expected: during the day. The film features several scenes that bring the viewer to a calmer state, to then jump-scare the viewer part-way through.
As for other factors of the movie, there was nothing much to write home about. Many of the costumes and scenes were laid out as expected. The costumes are the typical wear of suburbanites, and the shots are not unlike anything seen previously. This, along with other factors, has created a band of critics among the viewers.
Although there are only a few of them, they do raise some valid points about the movie. The critics state that the finale is overly unsatisfying, with the final “big bad” not being as horrifying in comparison to what the audience dreamed up while waiting for the big reveal.
According to The Wrap, “We’re being tricked into thinking this is a film about important subjects, only to find out halfway through that it’s an unremarkable monster story, albeit told in a remarkable way.”
Everyone cannot always be won over. These opinions are a drop in the bucket compared to the massive tidal wave of positive reviews, with Rotten Tomatoes ranking it a whopping 94%. The sheer scare factor of the film and its overall message are so powerful that critiquing the ending for not being absolutely perfect feels petty more than anything. The film has been endorsed by Jordan Peele, director of horror films such as “Get Out” and “Us”, himself, and through this compliment, shows Zack Cregger may just be the next comedian turned horror movie specialist.
No matter what, “Weapons” is certainly a must-see for horror fanatics and a movie to keep an eye on during awards season. The movie is still in theaters and is not out on any streaming platforms yet.