Close Menu
  • Login
  • Support Us
  • Newsletter
  • News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Video Games
      • Previews
      • PC
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X/S
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Xbox One
      • PS4
      • Tabletop
    • Film
    • TV
    • Anime
    • Comics
      • BOOM! Studios
      • Dark Horse Comics
      • DC Comics
      • IDW Publishing
      • Image Comics
      • Indie Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • Oni-Lion Forge
      • Valiant Comics
      • Vault Comics
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Event Coverage
    • BWT Recommends
    • RSS Feeds
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Support Us
But Why Tho?
RSS Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
Trending:
  • Features
    Momo and Okarun share a close moment in Dandadan

    Momo And Okarun: The Gold Standard For Shonen Romance

    07/03/2025
    Ironheart Episodes 4 6 But Why Tho 1

    ‘Ironheart’ Explained: Explore MCU’s Bold New Chapter

    07/01/2025
    Buck in 9-1-1

    ‘9-1-1’ Has To Let Buck Say Bisexual

    06/29/2025
    Nintendo Welcome Tour promotional image of the maraca mini-game

    The One “Game” That Justifies The Nintendo Switch 2 Purchase

    06/25/2025
    Destiel Confession in Supernatural - Castiel (Misha Collins) and Dean (Jensen Ackles)

    The Destiel Confession: The Lasting Importance Of Supernatural’s Greatest Ship

    06/22/2025
  • Squid Game
  • K-Dramas
  • Netflix
  • Switch 2 Games
  • Summer Game Fest
But Why Tho?
Home » Film » Fantastic Fest 2019: ‘Guns Akimbo’ is a Hot Glorious Mess

Fantastic Fest 2019: ‘Guns Akimbo’ is a Hot Glorious Mess

Kate SánchezBy Kate Sánchez09/28/20194 Mins ReadUpdated:08/22/2022
Guns Akimbo
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

Guns Akimbo

Having guns attached to your hands and being thrust into a gladiator-type battle for an audience of a dark website watching you fight for your life all while being hunted by the top criminal assassin with a penchant for cocaine-fueled rampages is one hell of a synopsis. That’s Guns Akimbo for you, and yes, it is as crazy and erratic as that sentence sounds.

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

To put simply, Guns Akimbo is a hot mess, but in the best neon-drenched and rock ‘n roll way. The world of the film is one where streaming culture has reached its dark timeline limit: criminals hunting down other criminals and killing them for sport, all recorded through drones and CCTV. Run by Skizm, a dark web organization thriving on viewership of its bloody game, murders and criminals are pitted against each other to fight to the death. The top of these killers is Nix (Samara Weaving). A coke-fueled assassin who has yet to lose a match, she’s deadly, she’s out of her mind, and all she cares about is winning.

The film takes shape when Miles (Daniel Radcliffe), a troller of trolls and coder living a dead-end life decides to piss off Skizm’s viewers only to be visited by some of them and have guns attached to his hands. With 50 bullets each he’s been put up against Nix and what follows is a series of chases, combat, and obscene violence.

Truthfully, the story is just kind of floating there, close enough for you to know it but without depth for you to fall into, and for some reason, that works here. The absurdity, visuals, and violence of Guns Akimbo is what keeps you focused on the film. That being said, Radcliffe and Weaving offer up performances that completely match the off-the-wall-script and the overall tone of the film from writer-director Jason Lei Howden. Their dialogue is absurd, the action is feverish, and the pace is like shots being fired from Nix’s gatling gun just as you would expect from the guy who directed Deathgasm. 

As Miles, Radcliffe is extremely pathetic, afraid of all confrontation that isn’t behind a keyboard. When he’s thrust into Skizm’s world of fighting we get to see him evolve from someone who runs from his problems into someone who attempts to fight back, even if he’s bad at it. His awkward demeanor and panicked identity make him a great stand-in for the audience. We’re not supposed to understand Skizm, we’re just supposed to be on the ride.

That being said, Weaving is truly the star of this film. Coming off of her success in Ready or Not, fans of her will be excited to see her fighting even harder in Guns Akimbo. If you’ve been following Weaving’s career you know how she excels covered in blood and its no different here. Her dialogue lacks depth but she makes every one of her irreverent profanity-laced jokes and one-liners. Taking out entire rooms of drug dealers just to nab the coke for herself, Weaving is a certified action star. 

That being said, Guns Akimbo is most definitely not for everyone. The frenzy with which the film moves, taking place over one day, and the gratuitous violence and gutter humor is sure to turn off many critics. Its embrace of mayhem and Scott Pilgrim-esque video game references are over the top and Weaving’s affinity for dick jokes is truly too much for those not a fan of that brand of humor.

Overall, Guns Akimbo is a world of fun mayhem without too much substance but near-perfect character performances and so much stylistic violence. The film also continues to solidify Weaving’s status as a genre queen, which is not to be understated.

Guns Akimbo is available now on VOD.

Guns Akimbo
  • 7/10
    Rating - 7/10
7/10

TL;DR

Guns Akimbo is a world of fun mayhem without too much substance but near-perfect character performances and so much stylistic violence. The film also continues to solidify Weaving’s status as a genre queen, which is not to be understated.

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
Previous ArticleREVIEW: ‘The Terror: Infamy,’ Episode 7 – My Perfect World
Next Article REVIEW: ‘Star Wars Adventures,’ Issue #26
Kate Sánchez
  • Website
  • X (Twitter)
  • Instagram

Kate Sánchez is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of But Why Tho? A Geek Community. There, she coordinates film, television, anime, and manga coverage. Kate is also a freelance journalist writing features on video games, anime, and film. Her focus as a critic is championing animation and international films and television series for inclusion in awards cycles. Find her on Bluesky @ohmymithrandir.bsky.social

Related Posts

The Old Guard 2
5.5

REVIEW: ‘The Old Guard 2’ Is Distracted And Half-Baked

07/02/2025
Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Bailey in Jurassic World: Rebirth
5.5

REVIEW: ‘Jurassic World: Rebirth’ Is Best When Nobody Is Talking

06/30/2025
MEGAN 2.0 promotional image
7.0

REVIEW: ‘M3GAN 2.0’ Puts Action First

06/29/2025
F1 (2025) promotional key art
8.0

REVIEW: ‘F1’ Is A High-Octane Blockbuster

06/24/2025
KPop Demon Hunters Promotional image form Netflix
9.0

REVIEW: ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Brings Beautiful Animation And An Even Better Message

06/20/2025
Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Alfie Williams in 28 Years Later
8.5

REVIEW: ’28 Years Later’ Is How Franchises Should Return

06/18/2025

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here
TRENDING POSTS
Taecyeon and Seohyun in The First Night With The Duke Episodes 7-8
7.5
TV

REVIEW: ‘The First Night With The Duke’ Episodes 7-8

By Sarah Musnicky07/03/2025

The First Night With The Duke Episodes 7-8 spends welcome time in pre-domestic bliss before new developments stir up trouble.

Together (2025) still from Sundance
8.0
Film

REVIEW: Have A Grossly Good Time ‘Together’

By Kate Sánchez01/27/2025Updated:07/04/2025

Dave Franco and Alison Brie’s Together (2025) is disgustingly funny, genuinely ugly, and just a good time at the movies.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 and 4 Alcatraz
9.0
PS5

REVIEW: ‘Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 + 4’ Gives Old Games New Life

By Kyle Foley07/07/2025

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 and 4 is another example of how to breathe new life into a classic without losing touch of what makes the originals great.

Black Women Anime — But Why Tho (9) BWT Recommends

10 Black Women in Anime That Made Me Feel Seen

By LaNeysha Campbell11/11/2023Updated:12/03/2024

Black women are some of anime’s most iconic characters, and that has a big impact on Black anime fans. Here are some of our favorites.

But Why Tho?
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest RSS YouTube Twitch
  • CONTACT US
  • ABOUT US
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Review Score Guide
Sometimes we include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small contribution.
Written Content is Copyright © 2025 But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

But Why Tho Logo

Support Us!

We're able to keep making content thanks to readers like YOU!
Support independent media today with
Click Here