Longlegs Movie Review

Arthouse horror has been making waves in recent years with smaller studios like A24 pushing to give directors full control over their projects. The has resulted in many unique releases that tap into audience fears. The latest effort, Longlegs, comes from Osgood Perkins. Those who dive in will find an atmospheric and often distressing production.

In the late 1990s the titular killer (Nicholas Cage) is on the loose in Oregon with the FBI attempting to track him down. Lee Harker (Maika Monroe), a socially awkward yet gifted agent, is put on the case by her boss Agent Carter (Blair Underwood) and the two carry out their investigation. Taking place across past and present, what follows is a deeply unsettling search that brings to mind The Silence of The Lambs and Se7en. This horror thriller sets itself apart from those efforts with a small-scale narrative and a slow-burn in the first and second acts. More than anything else, Longlegs knows how to make use of creeping tension and dread; it does so by giving the antagonist a mysterious, spectral presence. There are many moments where Lee is on her own as the camera stays locked on her as she searches and checks the corners for the elusive criminal. We also see brief snippets of Longlegs himself and these are easily the most visceral moments of the film. Information gradually trickles in and by the end there are some incredibly violent sequences. Unless you’re a major follower of this type of horror, you will certainly be on edge for most of the runtime.

A trio of performances takes centre stage with Maika Monroe doing a solid job getting the audience invested. Lee’s intuition draws us into the mystery and her mannerisms result in some light comedic relief from time to time. You can also feel her unease as Longlegs lurks just out of view. At many moments, the acting on display will really get under your skin and the only downside is how the film should have had more of this material. Nicholas Cage is extremely effective with his psychotic tendencies always leaving a visceral impact, but his overall screen time is quite limited. His motives are kept to the shadows and while the film eventually reveals the connection to Lee, it could have done a lot more with his character. In many ways the actor’s signature craziness is put to its best use here, but it falls short of full-blown terror. Agent Carter is also quite underdeveloped; he takes the time to introduce Lee (and by extension the audience) to his family, but the part they have to play in the climax doesn’t have the emotional weight it should.

Leaning into its arthouse background, Longlegs boasts a range of interesting techniques, not least the white makeup on the face of the killer and the bright red credits that gradually expand to fit the screen. The flashbacks are shot in the 4:3 format which often keeps the creepier elements just out of view for some great scares. The sound design is incredibly haunting; you have this sinister undercurrent that hangs over the entire thing, especially when Lee and Carter start poking through an old barn at night and stumble across a strange doll. Every piece of music does an excellent job conveying a moody ambience that never waivers. Abrupt cuts with piercing sound effects will make any audience jump out of their seats and overall, Longlegs makes full use of its creative choices. The unique presentation cements Osmand Perkins as a director to keep your eye on for future projects.

In a time where many modern horror flicks are racking up the viewing figures, Longlegs is a tense and twisted anomaly. The stylised approach, compact story and stellar performances are unlike anything else you’ll see this year. I would have liked to see more depth and detail from the leading cast members, but what’s here is still very impressive.

Rating: 4/5 Stars (Great)