Longlegs
Wow. What a divisive movie this turned out to be. From the first teases to the viral marketing, to the actual full trailers I have been excited to finally watch this one. I knew that it was meant to be seen in an actual movie theater. I thought “Horror Cinima is back!” Not that A24 has ever let it truly die. But for Neon to come out with an absolute masterpiece to me seemed unlikely. The excitement was there though.
Then release day came. To say that I was surprised by the hate this movie received would be an understatement to say the least. I couldn’t understand it. How could that stacked cast and creative team be bad? The early reactions did nothing but sing its praises. It was being described as the Silence of the Lambs for a new generation. I couldn’t figure out who was wrong. Was it the horror blogs and fans that I follow on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok? Or was it that I had gotten too excited and put too many expectations on this movie?
Well, I am here to tell you that I was right! This was a triumph in my opinion. From writing to acting. From directing to cinematography. The atmosphere alone is enough to stick with a person for days.
Nic Cage plays the titled Longlegs, a confusingly named serial killer? There were questions of the name’s origins. (Spoiler: It’s given in the first 10 minutes of the movie.) I was, admittedly, confused as to whether or not he would be considered a killer or not. He was much more a Charles Manson type. Regardless, he shines in his powdered white skin.
Maika Monroe stars as Lee Harker. This is surely a star turning performance for Ms. Monroe. I would also make a strong argument for her role in It Follows. Lee Harker is the Clarice Starling of this affair. She plays the meek FBI agent that is slowly losing grip of her sanity as she uncovers how connected she is to Longlegs.
Last but certainly not least, we have to talk about the writer/director. Osgood Perkins wrote and directed this little flick that could. The name might not ring a bell to all, but most of us will know him as the late Anthony Perkins (Norman Bates from the original Psycho) son. That is clearly not all he is, however. He has crafted a tense and terrifying thriller here. He has earned his flowers, and I personally can’t wait to see what he does next.
We give this one 5 Zaddy Longlegs out of 5.