Directed by Osgood “Oz” Perkins, Longlegs follows an FBI agent named Lee Harker (Maika Monroe) in the 1990s who is tasked with tracking down an occultist serial killer, called Longlegs (Nicolas “Fucking” Cage), who is responsible for murdering multiple families throughout Oregon.
This film was one of the most highly talked about horrors of 2024, being loved by most critics and reviewers while audiences were seemingly divisive on it. Some people adored it and praised it as an amazing horror film while others absolutely hated it or considered it extremely overhyped. I wasn’t able to watch the film when it was in theaters so I wasn’t able to join in the conversation at the height of its popularity. I have seen multiple takes from friends and peers about this film and wondered what end of the spectrum I would fall under after finally getting the chance to watch it for myself. I ended up being one of the many who loved this film.
Longlegs is a fantastic and disturbing serial killer horror film that is a major step up in Osgood’s career as a director. While there were a few films of his over the years that I found to be decent there was never anything of his that really impacted me in the way this film did. From start to end, I was completely absorbed in everything this film had to offer with its incredible performances, haunting atmosphere, and engaging story that contains a brilliant mix of elements including crime procedural, occult mystery, and intense psychological thrills. While I don’t consider it a “groundbreaker for the horror genre” as some of the marketing hyped it up to be I do think it is an extremely well-crafted horror film that does put unique spins on things we have seen before in the horror genre.
The performances are fantastic across the board for both main and supporting characters in this film but there are definitely some notable standouts that completely dominated this film. Maika Monroe is a truly captivating lead in her role as Lee Harker. She beautifully portrays a possibly supernaturally gifted detective who is also clearly haunted by her past, which plays a large part in the story. It all becomes very personal for her as she finds herself increasingly disturbed by the horrors she witnesses caused by Longlegs and how she ends up connecting to it all.
Maika was a strong force in this film but opposite of her was an even stronger force with Nicolas Cage as the titular serial killer, Longlegs. We have seen Nicolas Cage play plenty of psychos in his wild filmography but this role was different as he delivers a truly outstanding and terrifying performance as this character, while also looking completely unrecognizable with a grotesque appearance. From the very moment he comes on screen he immediately made me feel incredibly uneasy and disturbed, not only because of his appearance but the immense presence he has as a satanic-worshipping serial killer. Cage brings his own brand of unhinged energy to the role, resulting in one of his best performances in recent years. He is one of the most highly praised parts of this film and he definitely deserves all of it.
The other two standouts of this film were Blair Underwood as Agent Carter, one of Lee’s superiors, and Alicia Witt as Ruth Harker, Lee’s religious mother. I am honestly surprised I didn’t hear much about these two from reading reviews from others because they were honestly amazing in their respective roles. Blair Underwood gives proper doses of humor and humanity to alleviate the relentless tension of this film, while Alicia Witt adds additional dread and uncertainty with her role in the story which plays a large part in the journey of her daughter Lee.
The film’s narrative may start off as a simple police procedural thriller that follows some traditional routes, but it becomes something deeper and relentlessly disturbing as it continues on and will stay with you after the credits roll. It blends psychological and supernatural horror in unique ways while keeping you on edge with some surprising twists that I didn’t expect even when the clues were littered throughout. It may not be a film full of big scares but it was so unnerving in every moment that when some scares did pop up they got me good, especially with the help of some gruesome visuals and masterful sound design that catches you completely off guard.
This film oozes with technical beauty with its haunting atmosphere, incredible practical effects, and stunning cinematography that adds more layers of dread as well as enhances all the other horror elements. It also perfectly captures the 1990s aesthetic of Oregon creating a naturally eerie setting that grips you from start to end.
Enhancing the horror further is a truly excellent score by Oz’s brother Elvis Perkins, aka Zilgi, that really gets under your skin the moment you hear it and keeps you feeling uneasy every moment.
Longlegs may not be a groundbreaker but it didn’t need to be for me. It just needed to be a well-made horror, which is exactly what it was and I really enjoyed it. Osgood Perkins has truly stepped up as both a director and a writer, which makes me eager to see what he has coming next including his upcoming film, The Monkey. I’m going to give Longlegs an A = 96.
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