Weapons (2025) Review
Panel’s Chamber of Chills #9
Happy Halloween, this week we’re talking about Weapons, Zach Cregger’s surprise 2025 hit. This was one I actually wanted to see in theaters, but of course I missed it, so I’ve been waiting for it to hit HBO Max. Cregger’s name might sound familiar, he’s the guy behind Barbarian, one of the best modern horror movies we’ve gotten in years.
Cregger, along with Osgood Perkins, James Wan, and Jordan Peele, are basically the new faces of modern horror right now. If these guys are the ones leading the charge, the genre’s in good hands. Between this and Sinners, 2025’s shaping up to be one of the best horror years in a long time.
Behind the Camera
Cregger wrote and directed Weapons, and he’s proving he’s just as strong a writer as he is a director. He’s said he wrote this movie while mourning a close friend — almost certainly Trevor Moore, his old Whitest Kids U’ Know partner who passed recently. You can feel that loss in the tone of the film. It’s dark, emotional, and weirdly personal.
The story’s told in a non-linear way, jumping between different characters’ perspectives, but it’s surprisingly easy to follow. That’s tough to pull off, and Cregger nails it. The setup’s simple enough — a group of students from one teacher’s class suddenly go missing, leaving the whole small town shaken. Everyone’s looking for someone to blame, and suspicion lands on the teacher, who’s battling her own demons. Of course, as the movie unfolds, you find out a lot of people in this “perfect little town” have secrets of their own.
Cregger keeps things moving at a steady pace. The story never feels dull or stretched out. Just when you think it’s slowing down, the next perspective shift kicks in and drags you right back into it. The score’s fine — nothing memorable, but it fits the tone. Horror scores these days rarely hit legendary status anyway (those days probably ended with Halloween and Friday the 13th).
Visually, the film’s solid. Maybe Cregger could’ve leaned a bit more into the “small town Halloween” vibe, but that’s just me nitpicking. What stands out most is how confident he feels behind the camera. We might be watching the early work of the next great horror auteur.
The Cast
The cast is stacked and everyone brings it.
Julia Garner, who’s quickly becoming a modern scream queen, stars as the cursed, guilt-ridden schoolteacher. This is her second horror role this year after The Wolfman, and she’s just as good here. She’s got this quiet vulnerability that makes her believable — not too glamorous, just real and human.
Josh Brolin’s great as one of the grieving parents, giving the movie some emotional weight. Alden Ehrenreich (yeah, the guy everyone roasted after Solo) continues his comeback after Oppenheimer with another solid turn here. Austin Abrams (The Walking Dead) plays the local screw-up kid and fits the role perfectly.
But the biggest surprise for me was Amy Madigan as Aunt Gladys. She’s absolutely phenomenal — creepy, funny, and totally unpredictable. It’s one of those performances you could see becoming iconic down the road. Hard to believe it’s the same Amy Madigan we’ve known for decades.
Final Thoughts
Weapons (2025) is one of those rare horror movies that actually lives up to the hype. It’s smart, emotional, and made by people who truly love the genre. Cregger has officially joined the top tier of modern horror directors.
Between his writing, pacing, and the performances from this cast, Weapons is a perfect example of how strong horror’s been lately. It’s part mystery, part thriller, part tragedy — and it works on all fronts.
Final Verdict: 5 out of 5 tombstones.
A great movie, not just for horror fans, but for anyone who appreciates original, well-crafted storytelling.
All film stills, posters, and promotional materials © Warner Bros. Pictures / New Line Cinema. Used here under fair use for critique, commentary, and review purposes only. Panel’s Chamber of Chills is a nonprofit review series that discusses films for cultural and educational commentary.