Wingard’s Onslaught is visually sharp but narratively undercooked

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Wingard’s Onslaught is visually sharp but narratively undercooked

Developing story first seen 43 minutes ago

· 43 minutes ago

After helming two large-scale "Godzilla vs. Kong" instalments, director Adam Wingard has pivoted to original, lower-budget filmmaking with "Onslaught," an A24 production co-written with longtime collaborator Simon Barrett. The film stars Adria Arjona as a trauma-afflicted former Army sniper living in remote isolation, with the narrative structured around a 12-hour countdown to a violent confrontation. By deliberately blending war-film imagery with slasher-horror conventions, the project positions itself as an unconventional genre hybrid that signals Wingard's deliberate shift away from franchise work.

Critical response reflects the film's ambitious but inconsistent execution. Reviewers praise Wingard's visual inventiveness and the striking aesthetic choices evident in the opening sequences, yet note that the narrative momentum deteriorates as the story unfolds. The consensus suggests that whilst the film demonstrates technical skill and tonal ambition, it ultimately fails to sustain its compelling premise, resulting in a visually engaging but structurally scattered experience that doesn't fully justify its genre-blending approach.

  • Adam Wingard returns to original filmmaking and smaller budgets after blockbuster franchises
  • Praised for inventive direction and compelling opening, but critics cite narrative unevenness and failed momentum
  • Stars Adria Arjona as a former sniper; A24 film written by Simon Barrett

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