Weapons, the latest from Zach Cregger – the twisted talent behind Barbarian – is a horror movie with a rictus grin, cleverly wrong-footing and squirming until it lays its cards on the table and delivers an uproarious finale.
The premise is almost maddeningly simple: in the quiet town of Maybrook, at precisely 2:17 a.m., seventeen children from the same class walk out of their homes and vanish into the night. Only one, Alex Lilly, is still sitting dutifully at his desk the next morning when teacher Justine Gandy arrives.
As the police investigation spins its wheels, suspicion falls on the young teacher, until one of the parents, played with convincing gravitas by Josh Brolin, begins to suspect something stranger, and far more terrifying, is at play.
But if there’s a star beyond the stars, it’s Larkin Seiple’s cinematography…
Brolin’s distraught performance anchors the film, while Julia Garner delivers a beautifully layered turn as teacher Gandy, shifting from shell-shocked disbelief to something sharper as the walls close in.
Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, Cary Christopher, Benedict Wong, and Amy Madigan round out a cast, never chewing the scenery, more carefully negotiating it lest something fearful jumps out of the darkness.
But if there’s a star beyond the stars, it’s Larkin Seiple’s cinematography: a parade of eerie, moonlit images that will stick in your head for days. Paired with a tense score from Ryan Holladay, Hays Holladay, and Cregger himself, the film’s atmosphere is so thick you could cut it with a knife.
Yes, Weapons is scary, but it’s also slyly funny in ways that keep you leaning forward rather than hiding behind your popcorn.
Speaking of popcorn, a quick aside: at the London preview screening, themed cocktails were on offer, and they’re worth replicating at home for a post-viewing debrief.
The Maybrook Meltdown – vodka, maraschino cherry, raspberries, pink grapefruit, cranberry, cherry bitters, saffron strings – is as lurid as it sounds. And the 2:17 AM Espresso Martini – Jamaican rum, coffee liqueur, Oloroso sherry, cold brew espresso, black walnut bitters – will keep you up long enough to wonder if that creak in the hallway is… well, best not to think about it.
In short, Weapons is that rare horror-thriller hybrid that delivers clever jolts, unapologetic laughs, and a couple of images you might wish you could unsee. Popcorn horror at its finest, and a reminder that Cregger knows exactly where to aim.
Weapons is directed by Zach Cregger, and stars Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, and Alden Ehrenreich.. 19, 128 minutes.
Sky’s 2026 programme slate is a tantalising mix of recognisable franchises, new originals and returning favourites. Leading the content charge is A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, a new chapter in the Game of Thrones universe set a century before the events of the original series, here swapping dragons strafing armadas for a smaller show…
Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey has unveiled Revive Live, a nationwide campaign to support the UK’s independent music ecosystem, from grassroots venues and emerging artists to vinyl culture and local record shops. In partnership with Music Venue Trust, Metropolis Studios and Record Store Day, the initiative will run into 2026, bringing live music back to smaller…
From the vaults of William Grant & Sons comes Ladyburn Marilyn Monroe by Sam Shaw, a one-of-a-kind single malt created exclusively for The Distillers One of One charity auction. Drawn by hand from a single cask, this remarkable 58-year-old whisky represents the oldest expression ever bottled from Ladyburn, a distillery that operated for less than…
The Luxe Review 
Weapons, the latest from Zach Cregger – the twisted talent behind Barbarian – is a horror movie with a rictus grin, cleverly wrong-footing and squirming until it lays its cards on the table and delivers an uproarious finale.
The premise is almost maddeningly simple: in the quiet town of Maybrook, at precisely 2:17 a.m., seventeen children from the same class walk out of their homes and vanish into the night. Only one, Alex Lilly, is still sitting dutifully at his desk the next morning when teacher Justine Gandy arrives.
As the police investigation spins its wheels, suspicion falls on the young teacher, until one of the parents, played with convincing gravitas by Josh Brolin, begins to suspect something stranger, and far more terrifying, is at play.
Brolin’s distraught performance anchors the film, while Julia Garner delivers a beautifully layered turn as teacher Gandy, shifting from shell-shocked disbelief to something sharper as the walls close in.
Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, Cary Christopher, Benedict Wong, and Amy Madigan round out a cast, never chewing the scenery, more carefully negotiating it lest something fearful jumps out of the darkness.
But if there’s a star beyond the stars, it’s Larkin Seiple’s cinematography: a parade of eerie, moonlit images that will stick in your head for days. Paired with a tense score from Ryan Holladay, Hays Holladay, and Cregger himself, the film’s atmosphere is so thick you could cut it with a knife.
Yes, Weapons is scary, but it’s also slyly funny in ways that keep you leaning forward rather than hiding behind your popcorn.
Speaking of popcorn, a quick aside: at the London preview screening, themed cocktails were on offer, and they’re worth replicating at home for a post-viewing debrief.
The Maybrook Meltdown – vodka, maraschino cherry, raspberries, pink grapefruit, cranberry, cherry bitters, saffron strings – is as lurid as it sounds. And the 2:17 AM Espresso Martini – Jamaican rum, coffee liqueur, Oloroso sherry, cold brew espresso, black walnut bitters – will keep you up long enough to wonder if that creak in the hallway is… well, best not to think about it.
In short, Weapons is that rare horror-thriller hybrid that delivers clever jolts, unapologetic laughs, and a couple of images you might wish you could unsee. Popcorn horror at its finest, and a reminder that Cregger knows exactly where to aim.
Weapons is directed by Zach Cregger, and stars Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, and Alden Ehrenreich.. 19, 128 minutes.
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Sky’s 2026 programme slate is a tantalising mix of recognisable franchises, new originals and returning favourites. Leading the content charge is A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, a new chapter in the Game of Thrones universe set a century before the events of the original series, here swapping dragons strafing armadas for a smaller show…
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Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey has unveiled Revive Live, a nationwide campaign to support the UK’s independent music ecosystem, from grassroots venues and emerging artists to vinyl culture and local record shops. In partnership with Music Venue Trust, Metropolis Studios and Record Store Day, the initiative will run into 2026, bringing live music back to smaller…
Ladyburn unveils one-of-a-kind Marilyn Monroe whisky for One of One charity auction
From the vaults of William Grant & Sons comes Ladyburn Marilyn Monroe by Sam Shaw, a one-of-a-kind single malt created exclusively for The Distillers One of One charity auction. Drawn by hand from a single cask, this remarkable 58-year-old whisky represents the oldest expression ever bottled from Ladyburn, a distillery that operated for less than…
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