When I first heard about Weapons, a new film that was released as part of the 2025 movie schedule, I was excited. I was always a massive fan of Barbarian, another film that director Zach Cregger did, and how it seemed to blend horror and comedy in a way that made it that much easier for me to watch. It had its moments of intensity, of heart, and so much more.
So, of course, when I had the chance to go to a screener to see Weapons, I had to take the opportunity. I’ll get into my praises about the film down below. Still, in reality, there’s one little element that really made it unforgettable – besides that vegetable-peeler scene that will make me never look at one the same again. Let’s get into it.
As Someone Who Loves Horror Movies, Weapons Stands Out
If you know me, you’d know I’m a huge horror movie fan. I love the best horror movies and have for years. I’ve talked at length about the best A24 horror movies, about how I have an intense adoration for the Halloween films, and everything else under the sun. So Weapons was going to be a clear-cut winner for me.
And it was, right from the beginning. The moment you sit down in this theater, you are driven straight into the story. Every Weapons trailer that you have seen, with those kids running so weird that even Josh Brolin was freaked out – you get all of that in the first few minutes. You are thrown right into the mystery, and it’s up to you, the audience, to look at the different POV’s that you are presented with in order to figure out what the heck is going on.
CinemaBlend’s Eric Eisenberg commented that Weapons is one of the best horror movies yet for 2025, in a year where we have been graced with some epic horror films. And I can’t help but agree. As someone who prides herself on not getting scared or freaking out that often, this is one of those films that got me pretty intensely. But there’s one aspect that made it even better.
What Really Makes It Excellent Is Its Score
Ya’ll. The score of this film is killer. Literally.
Adding in some backstory here, I come from a musical family. My dad toured around the world in a band, and my mom worked at Radio City for more than a decade with musicians, so music is pretty much in my blood, and I’m the kind of person who will listen to a movie score and then download it the moment I leave the theater.
Horror has always been a place where I don’t usually think music shines. I believe that many horror films tend to use the typical suspenseful sounds that would make the audience jump in surprise. To me, only a few scores from horror films of the past have stood out.
Anything really by John Carpenter is a great example. The Halloween theme is iconic, and I’m pretty sure it just makes nonhuman Michael Myers that much creepier. I could also point to “Tubular Bells” from The Exorcist as an iconic piece of work.
Heck, even Sinners, composed by Ludwig Göransson, has some of the best music I have seen in a horror film. There was one moment where the music literally reminded me of why I loved movies in the first place. It takes an excellent horror movie to evoke a score that truly sets the tone, but is also something you would listen to just out of the blue.
Weapons hit that and more. It’s nerve-wracking, heartwrenching, but the best of all – it doesn’t try to be something it’s not. It’s actually better.
It’s Not Like Any Other Horror Score Out There — It’s More Techno In Nature
The thing with the Weapons score is that it’s not really like most other scores out there. In fact, it’s almost…techno in nature.
Now, I don’t want you to think of the typical techno music out there because it’s not that. What I mean by techno is that the score doesn’t include any super intense violins or cellos or anything crazy that’s going to hurt your ears the moment those harsh strings are strummed.
What makes this score better is that it’s sort of a series of harsh thrums, as if they were made on a music machine, which they most likely were. They’re beats of music that might remind you of being in a club, but are composed so well that they don’t overtake the suspense of the scene.
And then, when it builds up to a moment where something big is going to happen, the beats get quicker and better, and you feel it. You feel it through your entire body, and it makes you shiver in anticipation and fear of what is going to happen. That kind of score is something that can’t be taught – it’s something you have to feel when making the movie and filming the scene, truly, and then you realize that’s the kind of music that you need.
The music itself was composed by Zach Cregger, as well as Ryan and Hays Holladay, and honestly, they did it in such a way that I don’t think I’ll ever be able to listen to music the same again. Sure, some pretty big moments of intensity are included in the soundtrack, but the main beats, those steadily increasing staccato feelings, are what really get you.
I Wish More Horror Movies Did Scores Like This, Where It’s Not As Intense — Just Suspenseful
Honestly, this is the kind of music that I’d love to see more of. I think when it comes to horror films, especially any upcoming horror movies over the next few years, accurately conveying horror and suspense through music is so important. It sets the scene. You can’t really be playing a love song at the same time someone is getting devoured.
The music in Weapons does it right. It’s not too complicated, it builds suspense in the best way, and it’s memorable. That is literally all you can ask nowadays in the world of horror. And I genuinely hope other horror movies move in that direction.
Weapons is out now in theaters, and I recommend seeing it. Trust me, you will never be the same – and yes, it is just as ‘messed up’ as critics have said, with a great soundtrack.