Longlegs (Satanically Inclined Arthouse Crime Thriller)
Longlegs has been one of the most anticipated horror movies of 2024, and it’s well worth the wait. Granted, I didn’t have to wait as long as I saw an advanced screening at the Aero Theater in Los Angeles at the end of May, complete with an introduction by director Osgood Perkins and star Nicolas Cage. Oz Perkins (the son of Psycho star Anthony Perkins) is no stranger to the genre, having previously made his mark directing films like The Blackcoat’s Daughter, I Am The Pretty Thing That Lives In The House, and Gretel & Hansel. The film’s two leads are also equally familiar with horror, with Cage having numerous horror films to his credit (Mom And Dad, Color Out Of Space, Mandy) and Maika Monroe, best known for the critically acclaimed It Follows, among others. Longlegs follows new FBI agent Lee Harker (Monroe) as she hunts down an elusive serial killer known only as Longlegs (Cage). Perkins spends the film creating moments of pure dread, backing the audience into a corner where they can never fully let their guard down.
Disorienting aspect ratio shifts, an ominous and tension building score from Zilgi (Elvis Perkins, the brother of director Oz), and solid performances from the cast across the board only drum up the suspense as the film continues to unfold its sinister puzzle. In addition to Monroe’s consistent and grounded lead role, Cage (done up in some truly horrifying prosthetics) channels a bizarre, Satanic, T. Rex loving serial killer as only Cage can, bouncing effortlessly from whispered, gentle menace to frantically screamed outbursts. Blair Underwood fills out the authority role as Harker’s supervisor Carter, and Alicia Witt gives a chilling turn as Harker’s mother, all culminating in a shocking conclusion. Neon has outdone themselves in terms of the mysterious marketing leading up to the film, with billboards, a fake website detailing the Longlegs case, and a phone number with a haunting message that people can call, but it’s best to go into the film knowing as little as possible beforehand. It certainly wasn’t what I was expecting, and the movie gets under your skin and hits that much harder because of it. Longlegs will easily be topping “Best Of” horror lists for the year. So what are you waiting for? Get out to the theaters and report to the man downstairs!
Written by Dustin, Eater of Forbidden Fruits
Longlegs (2024)
Director: Osgood Perkins
Distributor: Neon
5 / 5
