The Wasteland Reviewer

Longlegs (2024) Written Review

What does Osgood Perkins have up his sleeve for his latest cinematic effort? His films have been deeply fantastical and horrific in the ways he finds the most disturbing ways to keep his viewers on edge. Perkins channels his sensibilities into a vessel like Silence of the Lambs with an FBI procedural. This Satanic serial killer flick follows a young woman with psychic visions as she is on the prowl of a killer who forces the fathers of families to massacre them. Perkins channels his familial horror ties (son of Psycho’s Anthony Perkins) with this new film that will burrow under your skin. 

How does Perkins create a horrifying experience? Most of what works so well about the film is the atmosphere that Perkins creates. The squared aspect ratio in flashbacks creates an old school home video feel which makes the framing feel claustrophobic. The cinematography is drenched in dread as Perkins is able to build up plenty of unnerving and high-tension situations with a perfectly placed doorway in the background or a figure in the background. There is a texture to the footage that feels haunting especially when darkness and shadows are used. The perfectly framed shots and symmetry create an off-putting atmosphere that just puts you on edge. Cinematographer Andres Arochi makes a great partner for Perkins’ horrific vision for his film. The music is sharp and jarring, which pairs nicely with some of the best scares of the film. This is less a “horror” experience than an experience that is consistently just ratcheting up tension and keeping the audience on the edge of their seat (but Perkins does have a few surprises up his sleeve). 

Does Perkins’ screenplay match the impressive filmmaking that he brings to Longlegs? There is a great framework for this haunting mystery. The FBI procedural elements are effective with some well staged scenes of investigating, research, and exploration of crime scenes. The overall mystery behind these horrific massacres has a deeply unsettling connection to our protagonist Special Agent Lee Harkins. As the investigation goes on, there are more surprising and uncomfortable revelations along the way. There is an impressive balance of investigations and grounded work with the increasingly haunting supernatural elements as they collide in the third act. The story is paced well, and the layers are pulled back in an efficient and effective way. The only challenge is that the third chapter (with most of the mystery in the wide open) feels a lot less engrossing and tense than the rest of the film. The first chapter is full of great tension. The second leans heavily into the unnerving presence of our mysterious killer. The first two are so effective that it makes the third feel less interesting and dynamic. 

How about the performers? Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Nicolas Cage is completely unhinged and campy in his portrayal of a Satanic serial killer. He is completely psychotic and unhinged in a way that can only be described as going full “Uncaged”. He brings an uncomfortable dark humor to the film that is much needed with the unrelenting darkness of the story. There is one moment when Cage shifts his presentation, and it just might be the most unnerving moment in the film (a film full of slashing and butchering of human flesh). Maika Monroe delivers a strong performance that balances a stiff upper lip in the face of the horrors on display as well as moments of shaken vulnerability. The rest of the cast comes to play with Blair Underwood as the tough and grounded Agent Carter and Alicia Witt delivers an unsettling and mysterious turn as Harker’s mother. Kiernan Shipka has a single scene to shine, and she is quite impressive in her eerie delivery of her performance. 

Is Longlegs the horrific experience of the year that many were hoping for it to be? Perkins’ film is a haunting and unnerving experience in many unexpected ways. This is not the type of horrifying that many thoughts it would be but that is okay. The atmosphere and filmmaking are top notch and some of the best in any horror movie this year. Cage delivers another unhinged performance for the highlight reels that will last with you long after. Monroe keeps solidifying herself as one of the best leads in horror films today. This story is full of mystery and twists that will keep you on edge. The violence and brutality are only second to the shocking jolts that Perkins has in store. This just might be the peak of Perkins’ career so far.