The early reactions to Onslaught are sharply divided. Some critics praised its bold style, while others called the movie “irresponsible” and “nasty.” A few have also praised its grindhouse style, violent action, and dark humor.
Adam Wingard’s horror/adventure premiered during early screenings this week. The first reactions to the movie soon appeared online, and critics offered very different takes.
FandomWire‘s Sean Boelman said, “ONSLAUGHT is one of the most irresponsible movies I’ve seen in a minute. But beyond that, it’s just bad. Lacking in set pieces. No momentum. A huge waste of time and potential.”
Film critic Bill Bria wrote, “ONSLAUGHT is Adam Wingard’s return to exploitation with a vengeance. A nasty, satiric action thriller that harbors a political consciousness beneath its genre armor. Adria Arjona shows she has a wider range than she’s already delivered. Wingard & Simon Barrett take no prisoners.”
@JackKennedy shared, “I enjoyed ONSLAUGHT. Very old-school grindhouse, over-the-top action horror. Interesting villains obsessed with aura farming, funny side characters, and solid kills. A few too many moving parts make the third act rough, but this is a good movie for a crowd.”
Esquire‘s Eric Francisco posted, “Onslaught is a badass flick that’s 20 minutes too short and two or three more set-pieces shy of greatness. It’s a muscular, dirt-under-the-nails action-slasher with Adria Arjona doing exactly what the mission calls for. A bit more OOMPH and we’d have a real classic here.”
What is the plot of Adria Arjona’s Onslaught movie?
Onslaught follows Celeste, a retired Army sniper living with her daughter, Daisy. Their quiet life changes when genetically engineered super soldiers escape from a secret military facility. The rogue soldiers include characters known as The Butcher, Crybaby, and Cockroach. Celeste must rely on her combat skills when the group threatens her family.
Adria Arjona leads the cast in the action-heavy horror story. It also features Dan Stevens, Rebecca Hall, Drew Starkey, and Michael Biehn. Eric Wareheim, Reginald VelJohnson, and UFC fighter Alex Pereira also appear in the film. Pereira plays The Butcher, one of the dangerous super soldiers.
Wingard directed the film from a screenplay by Simon Barrett. The filmmakers have described it as a “gonzo action-horror thriller.”
The story also connects to Wingard’s 2014 movie The Guest. Both films exist in the same universe and involve a secret military program.
Onslaught is scheduled to hit theaters on September 4, 2026. It carries an R rating and has a runtime of 1 hour and 32 minutes.
Originally reported by Surya Singh on ComingSoon.
