"Weapons": Why I Find It Hilarious to Watch 2025's Highest-Rated Horror Film

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Zach Cregger's film "Weapons" is being called "the year's biggest horror hit," critics are raving about it, Stephen King recommends watching it, and the ratings are off the charts:

94% "fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes, 7.8 on IMDb and 81 on Metacritic. But here's the paradox — during the screening, I laughed more than I got scared. And judging by the audience around me, I wasn't alone. There are plenty of flaws: plot holes, a ridiculous villain, constant jump scares instead of atmosphere, and a finale that leaves you puzzled rather than terrified.

A plot that promised more

The story sounds powerful: an entire school class suddenly vanishes in a small town. Residents search for the children while something sinister begins to unfold behind the scenes.

At first, the film genuinely keeps you on edge — decent acting, unsettling music, interesting characters. But the further it goes, the more it transforms from horror into strange satire.
Weapons movie trailer
The main villain (spoiler alert) — an elderly woman named Gladys who controls people through a magic tree. Sounds like a terrifying concept, but on screen it's just a ridiculous caricature. In the climax, children chase after her, and the scene feels more like a "Benny Hill" parody. I was laughing when I should have been frozen with terror.

Why the film doesn't work as horror

The main problem is tone. In every tense moment, the filmmakers seem afraid to follow through with the fear and insert a joke, killing any chills. Even the mystery's revelation disappoints: it's too simple and doesn't deliver that "what a twist" feeling.

Critics aren't united either. Some praise the atmosphere and solid acting, but many write about the plot's banality and hollow finale. "Monsters without motive are no longer interesting," Shubhra Gupta from The Indian Express rightly noted.

Audience reaction

Online reviews are completely opposite. Some rank "Weapons" alongside "The Conjuring" and "Get Out," while others call it a "drawn-out witch comedy." In IMDb reviews, viewers complain about tons of plot holes, unnecessary characters, and a finale shot so absurdly that theater audiences started laughing out loud.
A group of children runs down a nighttime street next to houses
Weapons movie poster
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Many admit they expected something dark and groundbreaking from "Weapons" but got two hours of clichés and banalities. And even if individual scenes work — the film falls apart as a whole.

The bottom line

"Weapons" isn't scary cinema — it's an amusing mix of horror and farce. And maybe that's its secret. Some see it as an outstanding psychological thriller, others as a genre parody. But personally, this film was too unserious to frighten and too absurd to take as drama.

So yes, "Weapons" is 2025's highest-rated horror. But for me, it'll remain more like the highest-rated joke in the horror genre. Earlier on zoomboola.com, we explained why we're scared to watch the film that's been called the best of the 21st century.