Weapons Unloaded: What Gladys Really Means for the Show’s Darkest Secrets — And Why Your Zodiac Signs Might Predict the Fallout!
Added on August 17, 2025 inEntertainment News Cards, Movie News Cards
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Ever wonder what it’d be like if the cosmos conspired to drop a horror gem right when the stars predicted upheaval? Well, Zach Cregger’s Weapons just may be that cinematic comet blazing through the genre this year — original, unsettling, and utterly captivating. I mean, this isn’t just any thriller; it’s the kind of film that grabs your imagination by the throat and refuses to let go. While whispers about a prequel swirl like Mercury in retrograde, I’m hoping this masterpiece stays a singular, unblemished marvel — no franchise shackles needed, thank you very much. After all, sometimes the magic lies in the mystery, not in stretching the story to zilch. If you’re feeling adventurous under today’s restless skies, you owe it to yourself to dive into one of the freshest horror tales of the decade — just remember to buckle up for spoilers ahead! LEARN MORE.
The talk of the horror world is Zach Cregger’s Weapons. It’s my favorite film of the year (and you can check out Bumbray’s glowing review of it HERE). It has captured imaginations in a way that only original cinema can do. While I’m hoping that it remains just the one film, there are already rumors that the Studio is trying to develop a prequel. Thankfully, I’ve seen mostly negative opinions on that, so hopefully they’ll listen and avoid making this into a franchise. Because what makes it so special is its uniqueness and that will just be diluted with more entries. If anyone can do it, it’s Cregger, but I’d much rather see him focus on other projects (though I’m not sure Resident Evil is the best usage of his talents).
If you haven’t seen Weapons, you should probably change that ASAP, as you’re missing out on one of the best and most original horror films of the decade. But more importantly, you should stop reading if you’re worried about SPOILERS for the film, as we’re getting into everything that Bumbray couldn’t talk about in his review.
The concept of the film is simple: every child from Ms. Gandy’s class gets up at 2:17 am, leaves their respective houses, and is never seen again. Okay, they are seen eventually, but it’s a good logline. One of my favorite elements of Weapons is the interconnecting stories. It almost felt like Pulp Fiction, with how much each new segment gave us another layer of what was unfolding. Hell, I actually didn’t like Julia Garner‘s character during her segment, only to find empathy for her within the others. Same with Josh Brolin‘s character, Archer, who seems so engulfed by grief that he’s not thinking logically. Each becomes fully formed by the film’s end, and opinions can change throughout. And Archer’s arc becomes more fascinating when you hear that Cregger used him to grieve over his friend Trevor Moore’s death.
Take Alden Ehrenreich‘s Paul (who looks shockingly like John C Reilly’s character from Magnolia), who is clearly an ex of Garner’s Justine, only for it to be revealed that he’s an alcoholic with a fiancée, who completely takes advantage of the grief-stricken teacher. He’s such an asshole that I was rooting against him the more we got to know of him. Even his treatment of junkie James (played brilliantly by Austin Abrams) goes from reasonable to “Please just listen to him!” And special shoutout to How Did This Get Made’s June Diane Raphael, who plays Paul’s fiancée Donna, who has an intense run-in with Justine. Even the side characters perfectly mold the world and the intense mystery at hand.
Now let’s get into the Amy Madigan of it all. I’ve loved Madigan since Uncle Buck and Field of Dreams, with her always owning any role she takes. In a film full of wonderful performances, it’s Madigan that steals the show. It’s been a while since we’ve gotten a good Witch story (though, check out Mother of Flies when it comes to Shudder next year if you want a good modern-day tale), and I sure as hell wasn’t expecting it here, especially with the name “weapons” in the title. Yet it all comes together perfectly. Whether she’s an old lady, trying her best to stay alive, or an otherworldly creature trying to mimic a human being, her performance rests in the grey area where it can really be what you want. I’m sure Cregger has an exact answer, but it doesn’t appear that he’s telling us. Madigan is absolutely terrifying, while still being very old and frail. Her appearance is clownlike, making her feel even more otherworldly.
Finding out that Gladys is trying to take the youth of those that she’s got under her control makes the full picture slowly come into view. First, young Alex’s parents clearly aren’t giving her enough juice, so she sets her sights on Alex’s classmates. How she’s able to manipulate Alex is both brilliant and terrifying, putting his parents’ fate in his own hands. But it also makes his resilience all the more commendable as he has so much to lose. Using Gladys’ own powers against her is the kind of narrative progression that only the best of writers achieve. And that’s what makes Weapons stand out: it’s a combination of brilliant performances, slick cinematography, and a story that builds upon itself in both a logical and satisfying way. As much as horror always gets shafted during Awards season, this film makes a good case for why it should be a contender this cycle.
There are few moments in cinema over the last decade that are more satisfying than Gladys finally getting her comeuppance. To see these kids chase after her in a trance-like rage and then rip her limb from limb had me laughing maniacally in the theater. It brings such a moment of pure euphoria and release after such tension is built up over the prior 2 hours. It’s like a long setup followed by the perfect punchline and has you leaving the theater grinning from ear to ear. Like any good film should.
What was your favorite aspect of Weapons? Do you think they should explore the story more in prequels/sequels? Let us know in the comments!
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