Longlegs (2024), directed by Oz Perkins, stars Maika Monroe, Nicholas Cage, Alicia Witt, Blair Underwood, Ava Kelders, and Kiernan Shipka. The film follows Lee Harker (Monroe), a young FBI agent with a mysterious past who is recruited by her superiors to assist in the hunt for a demented serial killer (Cage) who calls himself “Longlegs.” As the bodies begin to pile up, Harker discovers that she may have a personal connection with the killer. As Harker’s reality slowly crumbles around her, she realizes that the Longlegs’ obsession with the occult may hold the key to ending his reign of terror. 

As seen briefly in the trailers, Cage gives an absolutely maniacal performance as the titular Longlegs. The marketing team was smart enough to hide his face in the trailers, resulting in some true surprise simply due to his appearance. Studios need to start realizing that the reception of their films can often be improved by not showing what’s cool about the film in the trailers. I realize that films also need to be sold to the public, but it doesn’t take as much as they seem to think. Less is more when it comes to teasing/exciting fans. Instead of selling cool moments in the trailer, Longlegs sold its unique tone. Cage sinks into the role, but doesn’t completely disappear. However, I think this is a good thing for an actor like Cage specifically. While being completely terrifying, he’s still able to provide his trademark “Cageisms” that will no doubt breed endless memes. He’s so over-the-top in certain moments that I didn’t blame a few audience members for inappropriately laughing. He finds such a great balance that a person could read his performance equally as both disturbing and satirical. Iconic horror villains are tough to come by these days, but Cage’s Longlegs will be remembered; mark my words.

Maika Monroe likewise shines as the film’s naturally less flashy lead, winning me over with her performance after I was initially a bit hesitant. From the marketing, I immediately felt as if she was miscast in the sense that she seemed a little too soft-spoken to be believable as an FBI agent. The problem is that I took the character’s soft-spoken demeanor from the trailer as a sign of weakness when in reality it’s a result of the character’s traumatic past. This is a character that feels well-balanced in the sense that her trauma is a big part of her identity, but isn’t her only defining characteristic. The trauma she experiences is only layered on top of her personality as opposed to that being her only layer. The script also occasionally finds ways to use her cold personality for the sake of comedy – having her often interact with less traumatized individuals which results in some awkwardly funny moments. 

Alicia Witt likewise stands out as Harker’s loving mother. The role requires range and Witt just feels like perfect casting. She can easily pass as a loving mother or deranged psychopath. I think it somewhat has to do with Witt’s striking gaze – her eyes pierce through the viewer in a way that few actresses can achieve. 

This is such a fun experience because it feels like a long-awaited throwback to the horror/mystery/crime films of the 1990s such as Silence of the Lambs (1991), Se7en (1995), and The Bone Collector (1999). That being said, Longlegs doesn’t feel derivative of those films, it instead feels like an elevation. I think this is because unlike the three films previously mentioned, it doesn’t shy away from exploring the supernatural as the killer’s motivation. When the film takes a turn in the third act, I can see many viewers being frustrated by the sudden shift. Although I would typically agree with those people, Longlegs finds a way to execute it perfectly. The film takes its time to complicate the mystery so wholly that a supernatural explanation is the only explanation that ultimately makes sense. Instead of feeling like a lazy shift from a writer who ran out of ideas, it feels as if this was the intention from its inception. 

Director Oz Perkins also consistently implements editing and audio tricks to increase tension at every turn. Even when something scary isn’t happening, there’s an inescapable sense of dread. This results in the film lingering in one’s mind as a disturbing experience even if the individual can’t point out which particular scene caused it. 

Overall, this is one of the more original horror films I’ve seen in a while, and succeeds at being consistently entertaining throughout. Constant surprises and twists keep the pace swift while creative technical tricks give the film that much-desired X-factor. All this being said, what audiences will truly remember is Nicholas Cage as Longlegs. It’s the kind of character who seeps into one’s subconscious and pops into their head right before drifting off to sleep. It’s a bit too similar to The Silence of the Lambs, but anyone who considers themselves even a slight horror fan should check out Longlegs immediately. B+