Longlegs review
Longlegs movie poster. Image courtesy of NEON.
Written and directed by Osgood Perkins
Rating: most excellent
Synopsis: Special agent Lee Harker is tasked with an assignment; decode a series of cryptic letters from an active serial killer who calls himself Longlegs before he has the chance to kill another family. Her quasi-psychic abilities give her an edge and she quickly gains insight into the case that no other agents have been able to see. However, the line between discovery and memory becomes blurred and the straightforward investigation heads in an unpredictable and terrifying direction.
Review: This movie has altered my DNA.
HOLY SH*T NICOLAS CAGE!!!!!! Okay, now that that’s out of my system I can properly launch into reviewing Longlegs, a film so captivating that I’ve seen it 2 times in 4 days and I’m already planning to see it again.
Maika Monroe plays Agent Lee Harker in Longlegs. Image courtesy of NEON.
Longlegs isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel. It sticks to its guns and executes it flawlessly. The film hinges on 3 components: incredible acting, artistic sound design, and a nuanced balance of suspense and jump scares.
Image courtesy of NEON.
The film wouldn’t work without the incredible performances by everyone in the small cast. First and foremost, Nicolas Cage is fully unhinged and I am here for it! He plays the titular psychopathic serial killer Longlegs. From the moment you first see his deranged face, to the last frame of the film, this movie is his. Everything about his performance is off-putting. His shallow breathing, unnaturally large hands, and unpredictable singing outbursts work together to create an unforgettable character that cannot be fully understood in the limited run time of the film. I was left wanting to know more about him and his freaky life.
Image courtesy of NEON.
Maika Monroe grounds the film as the introverted and fiercely determined Agent Lee Harker. Her sincerity in the role draws the audience in yet there’s always something slightly unreliable about her perspective. She plays the role small in the best ways. She doesn’t command your attention with large gestures or loud antics, instead her subtle facial expressions and soft-spoken dialogue force you to lean into the film, desperate to learn more. Most of the cast, including Alicia Witt as Ruth Harker the hoarding mother, Blair Underwood as Agent Carter the seasoned boss, and Michelle Choi-Lee as Agent Browning the calm coworker, approach their roles quietly. Their layered yet relaxed performances build a foundation upon which Cage’s avantgarde theatrics can fully shine. Kiernan Shipka also stands out as Carrie Anne Camera, a survivor of Longlegs who has lived her catatonic days in a mental health facility. She is sweet, deranged, and threatening all at once and she manages to transcend her limited screen time.
Image courtesy of NEON.
Longlegs also wouldn’t work without the delightfully unnerving soundscape. From low, ominous, vibrating tones that feel like they are entering your body without consent, to the loud punctuations that accompany jump scares, the sound in this film never gives your body a chance to rest. The sound is a major component of how the director (and writer) Oz Perkins created a nuanced balance of suspense and jump scares. The many jump scares are effective and don’t feel gimmicky. Instead, they function to throw you off balance. As your heart races the underlying suspense slowly intensifies and never lets you go until the last frame. Many horror films achieve great suspense but never really terrify the audience. Other films terrify constantly with jump scares, but lack the substance to keep the audience afraid between scares. Longlegs executes both tactfully and the result is one of the most terrifying films I’ve ever seen.