Longlegs Review: It’s been an exciting year for horror enthusiasts with standout films like Late Night with the Devil, Immaculate, and A Quiet Place: Day One making waves, and with much-anticipated releases like Alien: Romulus and Smile 2 still on the horizon.
Even amid such a strong lineup, Longlegs emerges as a standout.
Hitting theaters this week with a perfect Rotten Tomatoes rating (at the time of writing) and a flood of rave reviews, it’s easy to wonder if Longlegs can really live up to the buzz—rest assured, it absolutely does.
To keep the intrigue intact, we’ll keep the plot details minimal. Imagine The Silence of the Lambs, but with an even darker tone and more complex plot, and you’re on the right track.
The film kicks off in an ambiguous time period where a young girl encounters a notorious serial killer known only as Longlegs (Nicolas Cage). For decades, he’s been on a killing spree, leaving behind notes adorned with occult symbols at each crime scene, devoid of any apparent logic.
Enter the talented FBI agent Lee Harker (Maika Monroe), who is brought in by Agent Carter (Blair Underwood) to track down Longlegs. As she delves deeper into the case, she becomes the killer’s latest fixation.
This investigation shakes Harker to her very core—and it will leave you equally disturbed.
Before discussing the technical aspects, it’s important to highlight the outstanding performances by Maika Monroe and Nicolas Cage. Without their exceptional talents, the film might still be frightening, but it wouldn’t have the same emotional depth.
Monroe portrays Lee Harker as a socially awkward and distant character, yet she brings a depth of emotion and pain to the role. While you might initially draw comparisons to Clarice Starling, Monroe makes Harker a distinct and compelling figure.
As for Nicolas Cage, his portrayal of Longlegs is unrecognizable and transformative. It’s one of his most fearless performances, showcasing his remarkable range. While he occasionally exhibits his signature ‘Cage rage’, it’s the subtlety and softness of Longlegs that truly unsettles.
The marketing cleverly keeps Longlegs’ visual transformation under wraps, and writer/director Osgood Perkins gradually reveals glimpses of the character. This approach makes the eventual reveal all the more striking.
Maika Monroe as Agent Lee Harker in Longlegs
Another unexpected aspect of Longlegs is its restraint. Despite its dark themes, the film avoids gratuitous gore. While there are some stark and unsettling images—a bloodied ‘Happy Birthday’ banner here, a family of corpses there—it’s not excessively graphic.
Perkins often leaves much to the imagination, relying on atmosphere to induce fear. From Andrés Arochi’s expansive, crisp cinematography to Eugenio Battaglia’s eerie sound design, the film creates an oppressive mood where everything feels slightly off.
Throughout Longlegs, you’ll remain on edge, emerging from the film with an unsettling sense of dread. If this sounds uncomfortable, it’s also incredibly engrossing, holding your gaze with its bleak and compelling narrative.
Jump scares are rare, save for a particularly effective one early on. Instead, the film builds a persistent sense of dread, ensuring you remain thoroughly terrified.
As Longlegs nears its conclusion, you might worry that it won’t deliver a satisfying ending. After a gripping confrontation, it seems the story might be wrapping up, but Perkins delivers a clever and unexpected twist that makes a rewatch almost mandatory.
This shocking and bloody finale solidifies Longleg not just as one of the finest horror films of 2024, but as one of the year’s standout movies overall.
Prepare yourself for the unforgettable and chilling journey that is Longlegs.
5 stars