Longlegs offers thrilling atmospheric horror
Theatrical Movie Review - Horror/Thriller
Back in January, Neon dropped a short video clip of a 911 call and a slow zoom on a photo of a nice-looking middle-class family. The video ended with a cipher. Over the following months, we were given dribs and drabs of information, but nothing that really explained what Longlegs was going to be about. This viral campaign has steadily built hype for Oz Perkins's film, but the question remains: Does “Longlegs” deliver? Yes. Yes, it does.
I'm hesitant to give a synopsis because the trailers have been so restrained, and I want to respect that restraint and encourage you to watch this movie with as little information as possible. Horror almost always improves by seeing it as a blank slate, and Longlegs is no exception.
The performances are what set this film apart. Nicolas Cage will no doubt get the most attention for his role as the titular character. And attention is well-deserved because he is wholly unhinged in a way that only Cage can be. Combined with some phenomenal makeup, his Longlegs will be a favorite horror character going forward.
But Cage’s performance doesn’t work as well without the contrast of Maika Monroe’s far more restrained turn as FBI Agent Lee Harker. She plays a young woman fresh on the field, and there isn’t a moment of her screen time where she doesn’t exude some level of discomfort. It has to be exhausting to be Lee Harker, and everyone in the audience feels that relentless tension.
Alicia Witt, as Ruth Harker, Lee’s mother, is also exceptional. When we finally meet Ruth, we see that Lee’s anxiety is well-earned. Witt also manages an understated performance that imbues the film with the kind of apprehension that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats.
Perkins, son of horror icon Anthony Perkins, uses the space brilliantly to create tension. Wide shots where you aren’t sure where danger may be lurking, open doors just behind the protagonist, claustrophobic hallways where the serial killer could be just around the next turn - all combine to amp up the sense of dread. Paired with the sparing use of jump scares, the tone of this film is near perfection as it builds to its climax.
The sound design also creates a sense of unease throughout the run of the movie. Again, subtlety is the modus operandi for this movie, and the creaks and whispers that permeate the atmosphere give the audience so much more to fear. Additionally, the decision to obscure much of Longlegs’ appearance throughout the first third of the film helps build anticipation for the full reveal.
Restraint is the name of the game in Longlegs, so if you are looking for a gore-filled extravaganza, you will be disappointed. There is blood, but those scenes aren’t where the terror lies. Instead, dread builds in those in-between moments. It builds in the quiet whispers and high whine of Longlegs’ voice. It builds in the story of generational and religious trauma. And when the release comes, it is exquisite.
This review originally appeared in The Dominion Post on July 14, 2024.