The first reactions for new horror movie Weapons have arrived and the mysterious film is getting pretty unanimous praise from critics and fans, with viewers saying it's "an instant classic" and drawing comparisons to some of the horror genre's greats.
Weapons is director Zach Cregger's highly anticipated follow-up to his 2022 surprise hit Barbarian. The movie follows the aftermath of a peculiar incident that shakes a community to its core, when all but one child in an elementary school class runs off in the middle of the night for reasons unknown.
Fantastic Four's Julia Garner plays Justine Gandy, the teacher whose class vanishes, and the cast also includes Josh Brolin, Alden Ehrenreich, and Benedict Wong.
"Zach Cregger has crafted a horror masterpiece and the best film of the year with Weapons! It's Prisoners by way of Magnolia with some of the Coen's absurdist humor," wrote FilmSpeak's Griff Schiller, referring to Denis Villeneuve's crime thriller and Paul Thomas Anderson's drama of intertwined narratives. "An absolutely BRILLIANT commentary on the attitudes and institutions during the fallout of a communal tragedy."
"WEAPONS rules. If you’re looking for a movie that keeps you on your toes from start to finish and delivers the unexpected time and time again, this is it," said Collider's Perri Nemiroff.
"Weapons defines a genre, an instant classic. I dare to say alongside Psycho, The Shining, & The Exorcist," wrote another viewer. "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 downright terrifying and cements Zach Cregger as a strong voice in modern horror and a master of mystery," said another. "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 fuck up."
"WEAPONS is dark and unsettling in every way," someone else tweeted. "You thought those tunnel scenes from BARBARIAN were intense? This whole damn film felt that way for me, a constant uneasiness that goes faint to heart pounding."
Weapons arrives in theaters on August 8. In the meantime, check out our guide to the other best upcoming horror movies to add to your watchlist.
