Guns Up, directed and written by Edward Drake, hits U.S. theatres on July 18, 2025, via Vertical. The action comedy film, starring Kevin James as Ray Hayes and Christina Ricci as his wife Alice Hayes, also features Maximilian Osinski, Luis Guzmán, and Melissa Leo.A former police officer who is now a mafia enforcer, Ray wishes to retire and run a diner. However, one final task goes wrong, compelling him and his family to make a risky overnight escape. The film marks Kevin James's first significant action role of 2025, which was filmed in New Jersey from June to July 2023. Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from Guns Up. Reader's discretion advised.Ray Hayes's final mob task collapses into a nightmare as he desperately tries to get his wife, Alice, and their two children out of the city, as he is being pursued by his former boss, Lonny. Ray leads his family to safety while fending off attackers during subsequent gunfights. While Ray and Alice manage to flee with their children by the end of the narrative, viewers remain sceptical about their fate.What is Guns Up about? View this post on Instagram Instagram PostGuns Up centres on Ray Hayes (Kevin James), a former police officer turned mob enforcer, who longs to leave behind his violent past and start a peaceful new life with his wife, Alice (Christina Ricci).When he agrees to complete a final task for his vicious boss Lonny Costigan (Timothy V. Murphy), the plan rapidly turns into chaos. As a simple job spirals into a deadly ambush, Ray and his family are forced into a last-ditch battle for survival.The narrative shifts from crime-driven suspense to a chaotic, emotionally charged family rescue mission as the night unfolds. After experiencing discrimination at first, Alice becomes a potent force who defends her family in shockingly violent ways.With its dramatic shootouts, close-quarters battle and dark hysterical moments, Guns Up breaks audience expectations of both genre and performance. This is especially true given that Kevin James plays an unusually action-heavy role in the film. Against the grim backdrop of New Jersey, the movie explores loyalty, atonement, and the fragility of peace.Guns Up is a serious and pulpy genre that creates a violent yet emotionally charged survival story by fusing tension-fueled thrills with emotionally resonant repercussions.Guns Up movie ending explained: Ray and Alice escape, forever changed by one violent nightA trailer visual from Guns Up (Image via YouTube)The brutal mob boss Lonny Costigan (Timothy V. Murphy) relentlessly pursues Ray Hayes (Kevin James) and his family in the last scenes of the film. When it seems like everything is lost, Ray's wife, Alice (Christina Ricci), undergoes a drastic change. She arms herself with blunt weapons and goes on an unexpectedly violent, nearly Kill Bill-style rampage against the attackers. Her ferocity turns the tide, surprising her husband and the criminal underworld.The Hayes family narrowly escapes the impending chaos of Lonny's business as morning breaks. Bloodied and bruised, Ray holds Alice, who proves that she is a fighter and not simply a bystander. As they get ready to leave the life of the mob behind, the terrifying night changes them forever, bringing them closer.Despite the violence, Ray and Alice's dream of having a diner prevails as they drive away together in the film's final scene. This victory is characterized by violence and unresolved trauma, but it is also one of survival and unity. Whether they will find peace or remain traumatised by their fatal night is left sceptical at the end.The film stands apart for its tonal balance, bringing moments of vulnerability, love, and laughter to emerge despite the chaos, particularly in the relationship between Ray and Alice. By ditching his humorous image in favour of a more gritty, genuine representation, Kevin James gives a surprisingly sincere performance in the film.Guns Up released theatrically across the United States on July 18, 2025. Stay tuned for more updates.