I’ve been waiting for “Weapons” to hit streaming just so I could dive back into this twisty ride. Zach Cregger’s horror-thriller was my most anticipated release of the summer, largely because it’s completely original.
It’s not a sequel or prequel and doesn’t belong to a franchise. It’s a fresh, standalone horror flick I was craving in a season overloaded with reboots and sequels.
Thankfully, “Weapons” did not disappoint, ultimately ranking in my top three movies of 2025. Of course, I don’t think anything will knock “Sinners” out of the No. 1 spot, given how insanely good (and just a straight-up masterpiece) that was, but Cregger’s twisty little mystery has certainly etched itself in my brain.
Now that “Weapons” is available on premium VOD services like Amazon and Apple, I hope as many people stream it as possible.
It was a true horror experience on the big screen, but with spooky season now creeping in, this feels like the perfect time to watch it at home.
What is ‘Weapons’ about?
“Weapons” unfolds in the small town of Maybrook, Pennsylvania, where a chilling event disrupts the community.
On a Wednesday morning, 17 children from a third-grade class mysteriously disappear at the exact same time, leaving only one student, Alex Lilly (Cary Christopher), behind. The narrative follows various residents as they grapple with the aftermath of the disappearances.
Justine Gandy (Julia Garner), the children’s teacher, faces public scrutiny and emotional distress as she becomes a central figure in the investigation. Archer Graff (Josh Brolin), a grieving father, sets out on his own quest for answers, uncovering unsettling truths about the town.
The community’s facade of normalcy soon begins to crumble, revealing deeper, more disturbing layers beneath the surface.
“Weapons” has a lot of strengths, but its biggest strength is its non-linear narrative. Instead of following one character’s perspective from beginning to end, the movie is split into several chapters, each following a specific character. These storylines then converge for one of the wildest final acts I’ve ever seen.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen a movie that uses a storytelling structure like this, and it made the experience all the more refreshing.
The story opens with a child narrator revealing that, two years ago in Maybrook, seventeen children from elementary school teacher Justine’s third-grade class abruptly fled their homes at 2:17 a.m. on the same night, with only one student, Alex, remaining.
From there, we immediately have a mystery to unpack through the movie’s central characters. Justine and Archer are perhaps the most compelling, given their extra screen time, but Justine’s ex-boyfriend and local cop Paul (Alden Ehrenreich), homeless drug addict James (Austin Abrams), school principal Marcus (Benedict Wong) and the remaining child, Alex, all give incredibly strong performances that make each chapter feel distinct.
Not only that, but the story is easy to follow, and that works in its favor. Despite the non-linear approach, the movie quickly establishes who each character is, and the script doesn’t treat the audience as incapable. You can easily piece things together and make your own assumptions about what happened.
While I absolutely loved its narrative structure, I also have to give some love to the movie’s cinematography, including gliding steadicam shots that put us right alongside the action during chase scenes and close-up confrontations. Paired with the faint blue tint throughout the movie, it creates a visual style that borders on the uncanny valley, in all the right ways.
You also get some impressive effects in scenes featuring a character with bulging eyes (pure nightmare fuel), well-placed, visceral gore and one of the most unforgettable endings I’ve ever witnessed in the history of film. It’s so wild that you can’t help but love it.
All of these ingredients made “Weapons” a stunning visual feast, and I have a feeling this movie will become a Halloween staple in the years to come. I wouldn’t be surprised if we get some costume ideas out of it…
“Weapons” is a genre-bending ride that unfolds like a mystery but includes plenty of horror and, surprisingly, dark humor to help diffuse tension when necessary. Normally, when a movie tries to be too many things at once, it can feel overcrowded and uneven, but “Weapons” manages to grip you regardless of the tone it’s going for.
You don’t need to take my word for it either. “Weapons” has earned an impressive 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from over 350 reviews, with audiences scoring it 85%. The site’s critics consensus reads: “Zach Cregger spins an expertly crafted yarn of terrifying mystery and thrilling intrigue in Weapons, a sophomore triumph that solidifies his status as a master of horror.”
With the colder months of fall approaching, it feels like the perfect time to stream “Weapons.” Not only is it one of the best horror movies of 2025, but it’s also one of the best movies of the year in general, and I don’t see it moving from my top three list.