"In pursuit of a serial killer, an FBI agent uncovers a series of occult clues that she must solve to end his terrifying killing spree." 

OUR MOVIE REVIEW:

It has been a long while since the manifestation of evil was so prominently displayed as in Nicolas Cage's performance as the eponymous Longlegs. His entrance in the opening minutes of Oz Perkin's latest thriller is chilling and primal. Yet, his appearance in the film is minimal. Instead, we feel his presence lingering throughout most of the film as Special Agent Lee Harker (Maika Monroe) binds clues and ciphers left behind by Longlegs as she works to solve a decades-long serial killer mystery. 

Here is a film involving a cow beheading, intricately creepy prosthetics, occult worship, axe and gun violence, implied suicide, and creepy dolls with glowing eyes. If Longlegs were not so well made, it would be ludicrous. This type of material invites Perkins (son of Psycho star Anthony Perkins) to take big swings that would be punishing if he failed. His chances have paid off. 

This film is set in the 1990s but wisely sidesteps the temptation to tell the audience this with heavy pop-culture references overtly. We are informed of the setting with a few lines of dialogue and, more importantly, the film's craftsmanship. Longlegs was shot on film, looks dark when it needs to, and subtly embodies the essence of the 90s serial killer/psychological thriller staples. I won't name-drop those films here; odds are, you know which movies I'm referencing anyway.

Cage's brief screen time yields an unhinged performance. That adjective may seem redundant, given Cage's body of work. But here, Cage disappears almost entirely behind his makeup and turns in a performance that is everything and nothing like what he has presented before. Courageous and daring feats aside, Cage's Longlegs doesn't leave much wiggle room for reception. You will either love it or hate it. 

Maika Monroe's Agent Harker is an evolving character, steadfast and determined yet stoic. If Longlegs were set in 2024, conversations about the spectrum would be had, but given the timestamp of the 90s, that discussion is missing. Monroe is effective at being a character we ride the journey with despite being distant and esoteric.

Her supervisor/mentor balances her out by being the character we can genuinely project ourselves onto. Blair Underwood, a criminally underused actor, fills these shoes and is critical of being able to say to Monroe what we all think. 

The lack of Cage in marketing and powerful word of mouth propelled Longlegs into the territory of unrealistic expectations. No, this probably won't be "the scariest movie of the year," but it doesn't need to be. The metric of what makes a movie scary depends on its viewer. If jump scares are your thing, you may not leave Longlegs feeling very scared. A few jolts here and there aside, Longlegs is more interested in atmosphere, tension, and uncomfortable spaces. Perkins frames most of his characters in the center using wide lenses, leaving negative space on either side. We expect those spaces to be filled with something evil and menacing in the background, dangerous and out of focus. But mostly, we can use our imagination to fill the gaps of dread and uncertainty. Now, that is scary. 

Longlegs shows a lot, and yet doesn't show enough. Perkins' knack for meticulously dressing scenes with detail is constant. He has crafted a film that demands repeat viewings to catch everything. This is partially due also to the skill level of the director–Perkins is a decent storyteller, but a great filmmaker. 

The caliber of performances and the world in which they play out are exciting; the journey is more exhilarating than the payoff. Against the qualities of acting and craft, the film's weak points are sparse, but there are some. 

The story does fall prey to predictability at times. While the ending was satisfactory, it left me wanting. One big swing that Perkins takes is merging two types of films into one. I exited my screening curiously, pondering that if Perkins had played it straight and Longlegs was distinctly just an FBI procedural, would it have landed better?

But against these flaws are balanced genuine suspense, unblinking horror, and a Nicolas Cage performance that will likely be referred to for many years when horror movies are discussed.