If Zach Cregger’s Barbarian made viewers wary of basement Airbnbs, Weapons takes that paranoia into suburban cul-de-sacs. The 2025 horror film is not just a simple missing-person story. It combines witchcraft, black magic, and psychological tension to create an unsettling small-town nightmare. Cregger challenges audiences to question ordinary spaces and the people who inhabit them, especially those who claim to be family.
The movie begins with a chilling event. An entire third-grade class disappears overnight with no explanation. Seventeen children vanish from their suburban homes, leaving no signs of forced entry, struggle, or ransom. Only subtle clues, such as pyjamas, open windows, and silent parents, hint at the sinister events unfolding. Alex, one student, remains behind, quietly observing and hiding something.
Key Characters Face Horror While Gladys Reveals Her Deadly Magical Powers Over Everyone
The story focuses on several key characters. Justine Gandy, the children’s teacher, is haunted by guilt and suspicion. Archer, a grieving father, struggles with the loss of his son, while Marcus, the headteacher, tries to uncover the truth. Others, like Paul and James, are drawn into the mystery through tragic accidents. Gladys, an enigmatic woman, lurks over the story, shaping events from the shadows.
Weapons (Warner Bros. Pictures)Gladys initially appears frail, posing as Alex’s aunt. She soon reveals her true nature by draining energy from those around her, leaving them catatonic. Alex’s parents become her first victims. Gladys manipulates Alex into stealing items from the other children to cast a spell. These actions culminate in the children being drawn out of their homes and trapped in her basement at exactly 2:17 a.m.
The title Weapons refers to Gladys’ horrific use of magic. She binds victims with hair and thorny branches, effectively turning them into programmable killers. Breaking the twig triggers death. By the third act, she controls Alex’s classmates, his parents, and others, creating a grotesque, fairy-tale-like army ready to execute her will.
Alex Outsmarts Gladys and Unleashes Children, Highlighting Horror’s Dark Suburban Themes
The ending reveals Alex’s cunning. Justine and Archer confront Gladys but trigger deadly traps. Alex manipulates his parents and navigates the house’s interconnected rooms. He steals one of Gladys’ magical twigs, wraps it with her hair, and snaps it, turning her magic against her. The children pursue and violently destroy Gladys, ending her spell, but not all victims recover fully.
Gladys’ parasitic nature drives the story. She lives off others’ life force, and hints in dialogue suggest she has been doing so for generations. The film is not based on a true story, although it presents itself that way. The framing blurs myth and reality. Themes of small-town panic, scapegoating, and childhood trauma anchor the supernatural horror in psychological realism.
Weapons includes subtle connections to Barbarian, suggesting a shared Midwest horror universe. The trailer cleverly hid the witchcraft, setting up a shocking reveal that combines mystery with gore. By blending inventive scares with dark folklore, Weapons positions itself as a standout horror experience and continues Cregger’s exploration of uncanny suburban terror.
