Longlegs (2024) Review

It is hard to think of a better promotion strategy than that utilised by production company Neon for Osgood Perkins’ ‘Longlegs.’ Their guerrilla marketing tactics- focused on powerful, vague clips, images and coded messages- ensured that Perkins’ entertaining, though far from magnificent, horror became a must-watch event. Speculation and interest were at an all-time high before it was released, as no-one was quite sure exactly what it was about, only that it looked terrifying.

The film follows Lee Harker, a rookie F.B.I. Agent who possesses some kind of psychic ability. After proving herself in the field, she is assigned to a series of murder-suicides. They go back some thirty years, and are connected by coded-letters found at each scene, signed by a mysterious figure calling themselves Longlegs. As Harker investigates, it becomes apparent that she has a personal connection to the case, and that the Devil may be in the details.

It is a headily atmospheric, tense film, that is- at its best- reminiscent of ‘The Silence of the Lambs,’ or the work of David Fincher. For the first two acts, Perkins keeps proceedings running along smoothly, slowly immersing viewers in an atmosphere of sheer dread. Terror lurks in every corner, and the innocuous- open doorways, snow-capped fields- become conduits of horror. Alongside cinematographer Andres Arochi, Perkins ensures that, visually, the film is a masterpiece of the macabre.

Arochi makes excellent use of low angles, giving viewers a stooped perspective, like one was cowering in fear. Skies and ceilings tower over the frame, oppressively boxing one in with no escape, while the muted lighting used throughout casts a palpable gloom over proceedings, heightening the darkness of Perkins’ narrative. Danny Vermette’s desolate production design adds to this immersive despondency, which Trevor Johnston’s minimalist set decoration compounds.

Furthermore, the sound design is evocative and startling; every scene bubbles with an electric undercurrent of unsettling agitation. Sounds don’t just jump out at you, they grab you by the shoulders, giving you a short, sharp shock. Moreover, Elvis Perkins- working under the name Zilgi- crafts a score so creepy it would be hard to forget, even under the deepest of hypnosis. In addition, it is a very well-edited picture- at least for the first two acts- moving at its own pace through a mire of menace and malaise.

Unfortunately, however, it is not without its issues. Considering the mystery of Longlegs and the murders is so engaging, and so effective at instilling fear in the audience, the last act- when all is revealed- comes as a bitter disappointment. For some reason, Perkins suddenly adopts a “tell, don’t show” attitude, treating viewers to a poorly executed, exposition-dump that infuriates rather than enlightens, followed by a cliched ending that feels like it was ripped from another film entirely.

Additionally, a cynical critic might suggest there are a few too many elements to his story, meaning some get lost along the way: namely, Harker’s psychic abilities. Initially, they seem like they’ll be important to the plot, though are never really mentioned again after two brief scenes at the start of the movie. One wonders whether or not the inclusion of these barely mentioned mystical powers came from a first draft of a screenplay that was considerably altered, or as a ‘get out of jail free card’, in case Perkins felt he needed a gimmick to explain his main character’s competency at her job.

Whatever the case, they aren’t important to the plot, nor to the development of Harker’s character, which is- in fact- rather lacking overall. She is not a multifaceted personality, rather a one-note, rather dour person, whose lack of charisma is matched only by her lack of humour. Secondary characters don’t have much more depth, although at least Harker’s boss Carter gets to enjoy the pleasures of a drink or two, and has something approaching a light side.

Having said that, Maika Monroe delivers a strong performance as Harker, credibly portraying someone totally committed to their job, with nothing else in their life. It might not be a very showy or multidimensional role, but she handles it well nevertheless. Blair Underwood, as Carter, also does fine work, bringing a dryness to the role that is much appreciated. Furthermore, Alicia Witt is great as Harker’s mother Ruth, who has some serious issues, and Kiernan Shipka totally steals her solitary scene as a survivor of Longlegs’ spree with a remarkable ease.

However, towering over the film and everyone else in it, dominating every scene he’s in and most of the ones he’s out of, is Nicolas Cage, as the eponymous Longlegs. To borrow Nigel Tufnel’s phrase from 'Spinal Tap' and say he turns it up to eleven would be putting it mildly. Under heavy prosthetic makeup, he looks like a cross between a bloated Marc Bolan and Frosty the Snowman, with the voice of an insane asylum escapee sinisterly muttering a Crispin Glover impression. Cage has never been creepier- nor has he been much funnier- and his performance is never likely to be forgotten by those who see it.

While it is not the pinnacle of terror, as its marketing would suggest, Osgood Perkins’ ‘Longlegs’ is an entertaining, disquieting venture all the same. Although its narrative has its shortcomings, it is still engaging, while the cinematography and sound design is of a particularly high quality. Maika Monroe does a fine job in the lead, though is ultimately overshadowed by the satanic brilliance of Nicolas Cage. At the end of the day, despite its faults, and much like its titular character, ‘Longlegs’ is devilishly good.