Imagine a movie climax so intense, so visceral, that it involves children tearing a witch apart—literally. Yes, you read that right. In Zach Cregger’s Weapons, the final showdown is a jaw-dropping spectacle that pushes boundaries in the most unexpected ways. (Spoiler alert: If you haven’t seen it yet, proceed with caution!) The film follows Gladys, a centuries-old witch portrayed by the mesmerizing Amy Madigan, who invades the quiet town of Maybrook, Pennsylvania, and begins hypnotizing its residents—including 17 children—to siphon their energy and sustain her decaying body. But here’s where it gets controversial: the climax hinges on those very children turning against Gladys, weaponizing themselves in a gruesome, yet strangely satisfying, act of revenge. According to Cregger, the young actors were not just on board—they were thrilled.
In an interview with Indiewire, Cregger revealed how he pitched the scene to the kids: “It’s a scary movie, and you get to punish the witch who trapped you in a basement.” Their response? Unbridled enthusiasm. “They were like, ‘YEAAAAH!’” Cregger recalled. “Kids at that age haven’t fully developed empathy, so there was no hesitation. When I asked, ‘Who wants to pull her jaw?’ they were practically fighting over it.” Is it ethical to involve children in such graphic scenes, even if they’re fictional? Or does it highlight their natural ability to separate fantasy from reality? It’s a question worth debating.
Interestingly, Cregger took a different approach with Cary Christopher, who plays Alex Lily, Gladys’s “nephew.” Christopher didn’t read the script, and Cregger isn’t sure he’s even seen the full film. Instead, they relied on honest conversations to navigate Alex’s emotional arc. “He’s a true actor,” Cregger noted. “He asks intelligent questions and fully understood what we were doing. You can see it in his performance.”
Now, let’s talk about the magic—both on-screen and behind the scenes. Gladys’s powers stem from a mysterious tree; she steals personal items, wraps them around its branches, smothers them in her blood, and breaks them, turning her victims into human batteries. When Alex mimics this ritual, he unleashes the 17 children as a swarm of avengers against Gladys. The sequence is chaotic, darkly comedic, and visually stunning—and here’s the part most people miss: it was achieved almost entirely through practical effects.
Cregger explained to IndieWire that the only CGI involved was in the scenes where the children crash through glass windows. “We couldn’t use real glass—it’s too dangerous,” he said. “But everything else? Practical. Even Gladys’s gruesome demise. We used a dummy with hoses inside, and the kids pulled it apart, getting sprayed with fake blood.” The result is a climactic scene that feels raw, immediate, and utterly unforgettable.
But don’t think it was easy. Cregger admitted that filming the finale was the one moment he felt out of control. “The kids were having the time of their lives, but it was chaos,” he said. “We had two cameras, three different takes, and a lot of stitching in post-production. It was hard, but it paid off.”
So, here’s the question: Does the film’s reliance on practical effects make the violence more impactful, or does it cross a line in its depiction of children as instruments of revenge? And while we’re at it, does Amy Madigan’s chilling performance deserve the Oscar buzz it’s been getting? One thing’s for sure: Weapons is a film that lingers long after the credits roll—and it’s streaming now on HBO Max. What’s your take? Let’s discuss in the comments!
