Actor-turned-filmmaker Osgood Perkins establishes himself as a name that must be known with his latest feature, Longlegs. Audiences who gave time to his previous movies, like 2015’s The Blackcoat’s Daughter and 2020’s Gretel & Hansel, know that Perkins can craft a dreadful atmosphere with plenty of stylish imagery to boot. However, Longlegs feels like a definitive moment in Oz Perkins’ career, where horror fans will be clamoring for whatever he does next. Thanks to a viral marketing campaign courtesy of distributor Neon, many moviegoers are already hooked on the mystery surrounding the film’s plot. But nothing can honestly prepare you for the haunting imagery that lies ahead. Bolstered by a stellar leading performance from Maika Monroe and a sinister turnout from Nicolas Cage, everything falls right into place to make Longlegs a truly unforgettable viewing experience. Without exaggeration, Longlegs could very well be the most unsettling horror film of 2024.
Admittedly, too many horror movies nowadays are advertised as being too scary or shocking for the average consumer. Neon, ironically, gave Sydney Sweeney’s Immaculate that same treatment earlier this year. In the case of Longlegs, though, everything on screen speaks for itself. While there is one particularly memorable jump scare, writer-director Oz Perkins isn’t concerned with instilling fear through what the viewer can easily perceive. In Longlegs, the true horrors lie in what can’t be seen by the naked eye. This is a surprising yet cunning move, considering all the attention that’s gone into Nicolas Cage’s serial killer character — who is brought to life through layers of prosthetic makeup. In any other horror film, casting the fan-favorite actor as its titular villain would be an easy gimmick. But not here. Nicolas Cage’s role in Longlegs is just one piece of the puzzle, making way for something far more terrifying.
Set during the 1990s, our story follows young FBI agent Lee Harker (Maika Monroe) as she’s assigned by her superior, Agent Carter (Blair Underwood), to an unsolved case involving the family murders of a Satanic serial killer known only as Longlegs (Nicolas Cage). Highly intuitive yet emotionally distant, Harker displays quick-thinking skills that give her an edge over the other special agents in her rank. As we come to understand, these skills go beyond natural instincts; Harker literally possesses a sixth sense ability that gives her a degree of clairvoyance. In her own words, when on an investigation, it’s like she feels the sensation of “someone tapping me on the shoulder, telling me where to look.” This makes Harker the perfect person to crack the Longlegs case. But how do you find a murderer who never steps foot at the scene of the crime?
The Longlegs murders leave entire families in pieces, yet all that Harker has to work with are cryptic letters recovered at the scene. Obviously, Oz Perkins borrows a lot from real-life serial killers in his screenplay. As Harker dives into the Longlegs case, she must decode his cipher and reveal the secret messages in his letters, similar to the infamous Zodiac Killer. She soon comes to the conclusion that Longlegs must be either working with or influencing an unknown accomplice since there’s no evidence of him being physically present during the killings, bringing to mind the Manson Family. Additionally, Longlegs’ use of Satanic imagery evokes the crimes of the Night Stalker. Now, these patterns, along with the heavy inspiration taken from the plot of Silence of the Lambs, don’t make it seem like Longlegs has much new to offer at first. Perkins quickly proves us wrong, though.
As Harkins starts to uncover a series of occult clues in the Longlegs case, including life-like dolls, Oz Perkins embraces the paranormal in his script. It leads to the perfect blend of a horror movie that’s part crime thriller and part supernatural mystery. Seeds planted early in the story help the narrative seamlessly transition between these genre elements. While it may often seem like Harker’s investigation is going in some questionable and bizarre directions, you’re speechless by the time you realize what’s really going on. It all builds up to an intense, nail-biting third act — one that leaves the audience on a final note so ambitious that it’s sure to be analyzed for years to come. In the end, it’s not about how many times Longlegs made you jump in your seat but how many times you wanted to look away due to the fear of what could come next.
Longlegs is the latest entry in a long list of exceptional horror films for star Maika Monroe. From The Guest to It Follows to Watcher, Monroe always carries a magnetic screen presence without overselling the heightened emotions that are typical of the horror genre. Her performance in Longlegs excels in this regard, as you feel for the character based on the energy she decides to hold back, only revealing what she wants in the tiniest of facial expressions. Moments between Lee and her estranged religious mother, Ruth Harker (Alicia Witt), showcase Monroe’s superb subtlety. Actress-singer Alicia Witt also gets to steal a few scenes herself. Finally, Nicolas Cage goes for broke as the titular Longlegs. Again, at first glance, it looks like Osgood Perkins and Cage are perhaps taking too much inspiration from Buffalo Bill in Silence of the Lambs. However, that’s not the case.
Nicolas Cage’s take on a satanic serial killer initially comes off as goofy, no thanks to his facial prosthetics. But as Osgood Perkins slowly pulls the curtain back on the character, each new glimpse at Longlegs suddenly becomes less comical and more eerie. Cage is no stranger to taking creative swings these days. These risks don’t always pay off, ahem Renfield, but when they do — like in Mandy, Pig, Dream Scenario, and The Surfer — the results are incredibly dynamic and stand tall as some of Cage’s most memorable work. That trend continues here, as it’s impressive just how quickly your impression of Longlegs begins to morph. Cage is able to switch from toying with uncomfortable humor to conveying pure evil on a dime, making all the initial awkwardness of his appearance feel intentional. It’s a performance that slowly crawls under your skin and stays there long after the credits roll.
Equally important to the success of Longlegs are cinematographer Andrés Arochi and composer Zilgi (which is believed to be a pseudonym for Osgood’s brother and collaborator Elvis Perkins). Arochi utilizes distorted lenses while placing his subjects right in the center frame, creating cold images that keep the viewer on edge. In these instances, it feels like a threat or incoming scare could peek its way from any corner of the screen. The visuals reach a new level of nightmarish dread in flashbacks to the Longlegs murders, shot in a tighter 16mm aspect ratio with plenty of film grain. With the inexplicable acts depicted on screen, it feels like you’re watching cursed footage à la The Ring. On top of this, Zilgi’s nerve-racking score consistently keeps the tension high. There are few moments where Longlegs lets the audience breathe with their guard down — a mighty feat in and of itself.
Encompassed by the music of glam rock pioneers T. Rex, the favorite band of Nicolas Cage’s titular serial killer, Longlegs boasts an indisputable identity despite taking inspiration from multiple resources. Writer-director Osgood Perkins leaves a mark on modern horror with a picture that’s so disturbing that it will make you look twice the next time you’re by a dark corner. It’s always a slippery slope when moviegoers walk into a horror film having been promised, by either the studio or a critic like myself, that it’s the “most” of anything. Everyone has their own definitions of what’s scary, of course. Whether Longlegs gets a good scare out of you or not, it’s hard to imagine anyone walking away without feeling great discomfort or even anxiousness. That’s the mark of a classic in the making. All eyes are on Perkins’ next project, an adaptation of Stephen King’s The Monkey.
Longlegs hits theaters on July 12!
Release Date: July 12, 2024.
Directed by Osgood Perkins.
Written by Osgood Perkins.
Produced by Dan Kagan, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Nicolas Cage, Dave Caplan, & Chris Ferguson.
Executive Producers: Fred Berger, Andrea Bucko, Jason Cloth, Liz Destro, Ronnie Exley, John Friedberg, David Gendron, Ali Jazayeri, Sean Krajewski, Lawrence Minicone, & Jesse Savath.
Main Cast: Maika Monroe, Nicolas Cage, Blair Underwood, Alicia Witt, Michelle Choi-Lee, Dakota Daulby, Kiernan Shipka, Maila Hosie, Jason Day, Lisa Chandler, Ava Kelders, Rryla McIntosh, Carmel Amit, & Peter James Bryant.
Cinematographer: Andrés Arochi.
Composer: Zilgi.
Production Companies: C2 Motion Picture Group, Traffic, Oddfellows, Range, & Saturn Films.
Distributor: Neon.
Runtime: 101 minutes.
Rated R.
