Movie Review - Longlegs

Director: Osgood Perkins
Genre: Horror/ Crime
Runtime: 101 minutes
Year: 2024
Starring: Maika Monroe, Blair Underwood, Alicia Witt, Nicolas Cage,
 
Description: In pursuit of a serial killer, an FBI agent (Maika Monroe) uncovers a series of occult clues that she must solve to end his terrifying killing spree.

Review: There is one every year. A movie that makes you go “WTF”. And the honor goes to “Longlegs” this year.

In the 1990s, Lee is an unremarkable FBI agent until, during a mission, she can intuitively pinpoint which house their target is in. her gift gains recognition and she is assigned to the search for a serial killer who has struck sporadically for decades. This turns out to be a wise choice, as Lee deciphers riddles that others have been pondering for longer without success. That is no accident, however, and Lee will discover why.

“Longlegs” is not for everyone. It’s an unusual film with a slow pace and much focus on atmosphere. The hunt for a serial killer will appeal to more people though. And horror fans will definitely not be disappointed. Director Osgood Perkins has an unusual approach and it promotes unpredictability. There is no way anyone can predict where the story is heading.

Maika Monroe, who we know from “The Guest” and “It Follows”, is fantastic in this film. She plays a completely different role in this, almost apathic. And then there is Nicolas Cage. A man that eithers brings it home or absolutely fails. Luckily for us his overacting works here. Super creepy looking, Cage’s performance is thrilling and entertaining.

Comparisons to “The Silence of the Lambs” are easily made. A rookie FBI agent is assigned to an ongoing case involving a lurid serial killer who leaves a puzzling trail. But in time, that feeling disappears and “Longlegs” becomes a totally different film. One that you really can’t compare to anything you’ve ever seen.

In the end, you’re left speechless and thinking “what did I just watch”. Not for everyone, but a must for horror fans.

Rating: 4/ 5