WhenZach CreggerunleashedBarbarianinto the world in 2022, many hailed the director as a fresh voice in modernhorror. He took a step back following its success to pen the animated sci-fi comedyMars, and produce this year’s sci-fi thriller,Companion. Now, he’s back in the director’s chair withWeapons, the long-awaited follow-up to his groundbreaking horror hit, but is it just as good? Based on early reactions to the film, the answer is no, it’s not as good – it’s even better!
Following an early screening ofWeaponsahead of its wide release on August 8, social media is buzzing with reactions to the film, which stars the likes of Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, Alden Ehrenreich, and Austin Abrams. Critic Matthieu Côté called it “downright terrifying,” and a film that “cements Zach Cregger asa strong voice in modern horrorand a master of mystery.” They added:
“I can’t recall the last time a movie gave me chills like this one did. Extremely well-structured and executed with a talented cast. Buckle the f*ck up.”
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Griffin Schiller was another critic who enjoyedWeapons, saying that “Zach Cregger has crafted a horror masterpiece and the best film of the year.” The best film of the year? That’s a bold statement, but one that’s backed up by @filmsbyJuan, who adds that it “defines a genre” and is “an instant classic.” They continued to heap praise upon the movie, comparing it to some classics, while at the same time echoing the words of Schiller:
“I dare to say alongside Psycho, The Shining, and The Exorcist. Cregger’s storytelling reaches new heights, creating a new sense of what horror can be and can do. It’s one of the year’s best, maybe the best. An otherworldly experience!”
‘Weapons’ Is Just as Compelling as ‘Barbarian’
While there have been a few trailersand cryptic messages released aboutWeaponsleading up to its release, very little is known about the overall plot of the movie other than that it follows the case of seventeen kids from the same classroom who mysteriously disappear overnight at the exact same time. LikeBarbarianbefore it, you can expect a lot of twists and turns as the mystery unravels, as critic Rachel Leishman notes:
“Weapons is just as twisty as Zach Cregger’s debut but allows the audience to piece together its mystery in a surprisingly funny and terrifying way. It’s bonkers in the best of ways and shows how he continues to be a visionary in horror.”
“Weapons is an absolute blast,” added Chris Evangelista from Slash Film, writing that it’s “a creepy, funny ensemble piece that takes aMagnolia/Pulp Fiction/Short Cutsstorytelling approach to unleash a memorable suburban nightmare.” Of course, with any movie, not all the reactions have been overwhelmingly positive, as Matt Neglia was able to bring a more critical eye to things in his post. He said that “until the final act brought it down a few notches,“Weaponswas “one of my favorite films of 2025 for most of its runtime.” He would go on to say that the ending “isn’t as satisfying as I had hoped,” but still had nothing but good things to say about Cregger as a director, adding:
“Still, Zach Cregger once again proves he has a gift for crafting a haunting atmosphere, using jump scares sparingly but to great effect. Definitely more ambitious than Barbarian in pretty much every way.”
All in all, it seems that horror fans are definitely in for a treat whenWeaponshits theaters on August 8, but until we get there, you can get a glimpse of what you’re in store for by streamingBarbarian, which is now available on Netflix.
