Believe the Hype: Longlegs (2024) is a Masterclass in Atmospheric Serial Killer Horror

Title: Longlegs

First Non-Festival Release: July 10, 2024 (Theatrical Release)

Director: Osgood Perkins

Writer: Osgood Perkins

Runtime: 101 Minutes

Starring: Maika Monroe, Nicolas Cage, Alicia Witt, Blair Underwood

Where to Watch: Check out where to find it here

Serial killers have long been a fascination of the American public, with many infamous examples, in real life and fiction, occupying a dark niche of the cultural lexicon. There is something about this depiction of evil in horror that offers a compelling examination on the darkest impulses of humans.

Longlegs ignites the spark found in these movies with its modern telling of a familiar story. Agent Lee Harker (Maika Monroe), a fresh face in the FBI, is assigned to the infamous serial killer cold case of the Birthday Murders after showing promise in a routine duty rotation. Working closely with Agent Carter (Blair Underwood) and Agent Browning (Michelle Choi-Lee), Agent Harker works tirelessly to decipher the mystery left behind at each crime scene, a letter from a man known simply as Longlegs (Nicolas Cage). All of this leads back to an earlier childhood trauma Agent Harker cannot remember and her mother, Ruth (Alicia Witt) refuses to illuminate for her.

Pitch perfect tension, incredible performances, and a hypnotic story make Longlegs one of the best horror films of the decade.

From the very beginning, Longlegs injects a sense of unease that slowly edges viewers deeper into the senseless violence of its satanic serial killer story. A brief but effective prologue of an uncanny encounter between a young girl and a faceless man sets the stage for a smooth transition to the present day where Agent Harker is working a standard case with her fellow fresh FBI agents. Highlighting her quiet fears of the job itself and her uncanny ability to intuit her surroundings, Agent Harker’s first brush with violence on the job serves as an excellent lead in for why she is chosen for the Birthday Murders case while also being an excellent early jab at horror for the film.

Things escalate further as Longlegs dives into the depravity of the titular villain’s work. While not bursting with a sequence of never-ending jump scares, Longlegs evokes a sense of pervasive dread that eats the viewers alive through each side quest and reveal. Longlegs displays some of the most intimately horrifying depictions of violence and the trauma that transpires. Further highlighting the terrifying nature of the killer, this barrage of imagery serves as the primary horror rather than bombastic action sequences. Slow burn in nature, the horror takes its time to creep underneath the skin and lay there dormant, long after the film plays its credits. It’s the kind of real-life violence that haunts you after listening to a particularly rattling segment on the evening news.

Even though its story may appear simplistic, Longlegs is a complicated sojourn into the nature of evil. Throughout the film, Agent Harker finds herself chasing the Devil in the form of Longlegs, one step behind his campaign to stoke chaos and violence. With each case of murder, it is learned that one, or more, of the family is complicit in their own destruction. By listening to the Devil and charmed into committing the worst of sins, the family members become culpable in their own annihilation. Even seemingly “nice” and “good” people are capable of great evil when given the tools. It can be a dizzying thought to grapple with, but it is true to life. On listless suburban streets and with people we perceive to be safe with, it is impossible to tell when the Devil whispers in their ear and when they decide to listen.

Without its expert cast, Longlegs would not be nearly as effective. Maika Monroe’s impassioned portrayal of Agent Harker balances the abject terror of confronting a serial killer with unexplainable powers while keeping up the confidence in herself to crack the case. Wasting no moment of screentime, Monroe walks through the universe of Longlegs with the same apprehension as the audience, making every scene luxuriously tense and unpredictable. Nicholas Cage, however, delights with another trek into the disturbing unknown. His portrayal of the titular serial killer is equally frightening as it is off-putting. Occupying a level of uncanny that is for sure to be divisive amongst audiences, Cage commits, nevertheless. Thankfully, writer/director Osgood Perkins exercises restraint, not just with how often Longlegs himself is on screen but with how much of the screen reveals of him. This allows Cage to embrace the full spectrum of weird and present fuller and larger than life, the frame barely containing him.

Capturing the chill evil of the Devil and his disciples, Longlegs oozes atmosphere in the most sinister ways. Awash in cold blues, greys, and dull browns, Longlegs embodies the icy grip of January in the Oregon countryside. Methodical, patient camerawork allows the psychological horror to seep through the screen. With the heavy themes and dark approach to the serial killer chase, Longlegs is an impressively bleak film that is only matched by the way in which it is filmed. Violence almost feels plain in this universe, giving the audience an almost detached experience to their voyeurism.

While this reviewer prefers not to oversell any film and wants to be concise when discussing its merits, it is hard to ignore the impact that Longlegs will have on viewers. Divisive in nature with a more old-school approach to horror, it is not a film for the impatient or the easily pleased. It’s impressive cast ­–Monroe, Cage, Witt, Underwood, Choi-Lee, Shipka – commands the screen with confidence, delivering some of the most harrowing performances of the year. Sprinkles of cleverly placed humor might distract from the onslaught of terror, but make no mistake, Longlegs is an evil little film that does its job exceptionally well. If you give yourself freely, Longlegs will envelop you in a rancid cocoon of adrenaline and horror.

Overall Score? 10/10