Onslaught (2026) Review: Desert Survival Meets Super Soldier Mayhem

Our Onslaught review starts with the pitch, which is simple and effective: engineered soldiers on the loose, a vast desert with nowhere to hide, and a mother who happens to be an expert sniper. Adam Wingard directs from a script by Simon Barrett, the pair behind several cult genre favorites. A24 is distributing, and the film runs a lean 92 minutes.

It is a premise built for momentum, and the film seems to know it. The question is whether it can turn a familiar setup into something memorable.

Synopsis

The story begins with a rogue group of genetically engineered super soldiers breaking free and bringing chaos to a remote desert region. Among those caught in the danger is an Army sniper, played by Adria Arjona, who is traveling with her young daughter.

As the threat closes in, she has to rely on the training that made her formidable. Protecting her child becomes the single goal that drives everything. That is all you need to know going in.

What works

The setup is clean and easy to follow. A hunted parent, a dangerous landscape and enemies who are stronger than any normal person give the film a clear engine from the first minutes. There is no heavy mythology to wade through.

The desert setting suits the material. Open space can feel as claustrophobic as a locked room when someone is watching you through a scope, and a sniper heroine makes that tension a natural part of the story. Wingard has shown a knack for mixing action with a darker, horror-tinged edge, and that sensibility fits here.

The short running time helps too. At 92 minutes, the film has little room for filler, and a story like this benefits from staying lean and mean.

Performances

Adria Arjona anchors the film as the sniper-mother. The role asks her to be both a capable fighter and a frightened parent, and that combination is the emotional spine of the story.

The supporting cast is an eclectic mix: Dan Stevens, Rebecca Hall, Michael Biehn, Drew Starkey, Eric Wareheim, Reginald VelJohnson and fighter Alex Pereira. It is an unusual lineup that suggests Wingard is having some fun with casting. Michael Biehn in particular carries genre history with him, which adds a little texture to any scene he touches.

Where it stumbles

Early audience reaction appears divided. One small user rating sample put the film at a middling 5.4 out of 10, and at least one viewer compared it unfavorably to Wingard's earlier film The Guest. That is a small sample, so treat it as a hint rather than a verdict.

The concept also carries a risk of familiarity. Rogue super soldiers and a protective parent are well-worn ideas, and the film needs strong execution to stand apart from similar thrillers. Where the script leans on genre convention instead of surprise, the energy can sag.

The tone may also be a hurdle. A story that mixes action with horror can satisfy fans of both or leave each camp wanting a little more.

Who will enjoy it

• Fans of Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett who like their genre films fast and a little twisted.

• Viewers who want a compact action-horror hybrid rather than a sprawling epic.

• Anyone drawn to survival stories with a determined, resourceful heroine at the center.