Osgood Perkins’ Longlegs is a harrowing, atmospheric horror film that lingers in your mind long after the credits roll. With its unsettling blend of occultism, serial killer chills, and a foreboding sense of dread, the film cements Perkins as one of the most exciting voices in contemporary horror. Featuring Nicolas Cage in a spine-chilling turn as the titular killer and Maika Monroe as a clairvoyant FBI agent, Longlegs is not just a story of good versus evil but a cinematic descent into the darkest corners of the human psyche.
The film opens with a masterful prologue: a grainy, home-movie-style sequence showing a young girl stepping into a remote house — a haunting image that sets the tone for the horrors to come. The story then leaps to 1990s Oregon, where Lee Harker (Maika Monroe) is a newly minted FBI agent assigned to investigate a string of ritualistic murders known as the “Birthday Murders.” The crimes involve satanic imagery, eerie dolls, and a chilling connection to children born on specific dates.
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Harker, grappling with her own religious baggage and latent psychic abilities, is tasked with tracking down the mysterious Longlegs (Nicolas Cage), a gaunt, vampiric killer who leaves behind cryptic, Zodiac-style notes. As Harker delves deeper into the case, the film becomes a slow-burn thriller that transforms into something far more sinister and otherworldly.
Visually, Longlegs is a masterpiece of atmosphere. Cinematographer Andres Arochi employs wide-angle lenses and inventive framing to evoke a constant sense of paranoia, where even the safest spaces feel threatening. The wintry backdrop and muted color palette are punctuated by flashes of blood-red and stark whites, creating an aesthetic as unsettling as the story. Perkins enhances this unease with abstract, almost subliminal imagery — snakes, shadowy figures, and bubbling ooze — that creeps into the viewer’s subconscious like a lingering nightmare.
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Nicolas Cage delivers a career-defining performance as Longlegs, transforming into a figure of pure, disconcerting evil. His gaunt appearance and infantile mannerisms amplify his menace, making every quiet moment more terrifying than his violent outbursts. Cage’s portrayal is restrained yet brimming with malevolent energy, a departure from the theatricality he’s known for, proving why he remains one of the most unpredictable actors working today.
Maika Monroe shines as Lee Harker, her steely determination masking a vulnerability that becomes more pronounced as the case unravels. Monroe’s performance captures Harker’s unraveling psyche, showing the toll of confronting a horror that blurs the lines between the supernatural and the real. Her emotional arc is as compelling as the mystery itself, culminating in a gut-wrenching finale that leaves you breathless.
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The film is not without its flaws. A late exposition dump threatens to undercut the tension Perkins so meticulously builds, attempting to over-explain elements that would have been more effective left ambiguous. Additionally, while the occult elements and satanic imagery are chilling, they occasionally veer into the overly familiar, borrowing heavily from predecessors like Se7en, Silence of the Lambs, and Zodiac. However, Perkins’ ability to subvert genre expectations keeps the film fresh and unpredictable.
One of Longlegs’ greatest strengths is its refusal to provide easy answers. From Harker’s psychic connection to the killer to the malevolent presence of the dolls and rituals, the film thrives in its ambiguity, inviting viewers to piece together its mysteries long after it ends. It’s a bold narrative choice that may frustrate some but rewards those willing to sit with its unsettling implications.
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Thematically, the film explores generational trauma, faith, and the thin line between good and evil. Perkins infuses every frame with a sense of unease, as if questioning how much of our darkness is inherited versus chosen. This depth elevates Longlegs from a standard procedural to a meditation on the human condition, anchored by its meticulously crafted mood and stellar performances.
Longlegs is a triumph of atmospheric horror, a film that eschews cheap thrills for an experience that crawls under your skin. With Nicolas Cage delivering one of his most chilling performances and Maika Monroe anchoring the narrative with emotional depth, Osgood Perkins has crafted a disturbing and unforgettable entry in the genre. For those who can endure its unsettling journey, Longlegs is a nightmare worth revisiting.
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TL;DR Review
Longlegs (2024)
Longlegs is a haunting and atmospheric horror film that delves into generational trauma and the human condition. With Nicolas Cage at his chilling best and Maika Monroe delivering emotional depth, Osgood Perkins crafts a disturbing and unforgettable experience that lingers long after the credits roll.
Review Breakdown
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Unruly Rating