Weapons: The Horror Film That Scored 100% on Rotten Tomatoes
- Jomanda Heng
- Jul 31
- 3 min read
Zach Cregger, the filmmaker behind Barbarian, has once again shaken the horror landscape with Weapons—a chilling, slow-burn ensemble thriller that premiered to a flawless 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. While early reviews came from a select pool of critics, the response has been overwhelmingly positive, sparking viral buzz ahead of its wide release on August 8, 2025.
The premise alone is bone-chilling: 17 children from the same class vanish simultaneously at 2:17 am, leaving only one behind. What follows is not just a supernatural mystery, but a devastating portrait of suburban fear, mob psychology, and the fragile nature of human empathy.
What Makes Weapons So Great
1. A Narrative That Builds Dread
Rather than cheap jump scares, Cregger crafts a layered suburban drama where interconnected storylines echo the complexity of films like Magnolia and Pulp Fiction. Critics praise its masterful pacing—slow, tense, and finally spiralling into a third act that is described as “off the rails” yet hauntingly cathartic.
2. Horror Rooted in Realism
The terror in Weapons doesn’t come from monsters—it comes from us. The film magnifies groupthink and mob psychology, showing how fear transforms ordinary people into dangerous actors. Its suburban setting, polished with an eerie sense of normalcy, forces viewers to confront the horrors lurking in everyday life.
3. A Tone That Mixes Cruelty with Dark Humour
Reviewers call it “joyously cruel” and “constantly surprising.” Cregger balances unsettling dread with moments of biting dark humour, a contrast that makes the horror hit even harder.
4. Homage to Horror Legends
Subtle nods to Stephen King and Stanley Kubrick, especially The Shining, are woven throughout. The recurring time, 2:17 am, echoes King’s Room 217—a chilling tribute for fans who recognize the reference.
The Realist Angles and Social Commentary
While undeniably frightening, Weapons is more than a scare machine. It holds up a mirror to society:
The Power of Sensationalism: It critiques our obsession with finding answers, even when explanations breed hysteria and scapegoating.
Empathy in Decline: The film suggests that in modern communities, empathy is eroding. When fear takes over, compassion becomes expendable, replaced by suspicion and blame.
Trauma and Collective Grief: Every character in Weapons embodies different shades of loss and survival, making the horror deeply personal and unsettlingly relatable.
The Message Behind the Madness
Ultimately, Weapons is a commentary on how communities fracture under pressure. It asks hard questions:
What happens when fear outweighs compassion?
How easily do we turn against one another in the face of the unknown?
And are we, as a society, complicit in fueling the cycle of hysteria through our hunger for explanation and closure?
These themes elevate the film beyond traditional horror, making it a cultural conversation piece as much as a box-office thriller.
Why Critics Call It an Instant Classic
“A bigger and bolder film than Barbarian.”
“A terrifying dissection of mob mentality.”
“One of the rare horror films that is as emotionally resonant as it is horrifying.”
With its flawless debut, Weapons may well define the direction of horror for the rest of the decade.
References
Rotten Tomatoes – “Weapons (2025)”https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/weapons
Forbes – “Horror Movie Weapons Earns Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Score After Viral Marketing Campaign”https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2025/07/29/horror-movie-weapons-earns-perfect-rotten-tomatoes-score-after-viral-marketing-campaign
ScreenRant – “Weapons Rotten Tomatoes Score Debut”https://screenrant.com/weapons-2025-movie-rotten-tomatoes-score-debut
MovieWeb – “Zach Cregger’s Weapons Debuts With Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Score”https://movieweb.com/weapons-zach-cregger-rotten-tomatoes-perfect-horror
Cinemablend – “Weapons Has Screened And Critics Are Talking About The Off-the-Rails Ending”https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/weapons-has-screened-and-critics-are-all-talking-about-the-horror-movie-off-the-rails-ending
GamesRadar – “Early Reactions to New Instant Classic Horror Movie Weapons”https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/horror-movies/early-reactions-to-new-instant-classic-horror-movie-weapons-draw-comparisons-to-everything-from-denis-villeneuve-to-the-shining
GQ – “Can Weapons Director Zach Cregger Elevate Horror Again?”https://www.gq.com/story/can-weapons-director-zach-cregger-elevate-horror-again
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