Movie Review

Longlegs, Oz Perkins 2024 horror-thriller release and his fourth film to date, follows FBI agent Lee Harker, played by It Follows actress Maika Monroe, who exhibits possible clairvoyant abilities as she tracks down an occultist serial killer known as Longlegs, played by Nicholas Cage.

The film centres around Anti-social FBI agent Lee Harker, who is tasked with solving a decades-long cold case involving multiple murder-suicides in Oregon believed to be the work of a mysterious occultist serial killer who was not present at the scene of the crime, and who leaves letters written in satanic code, reminiscent of the Zodiac Killer, signed Longlegs, in his wake.

The film, produced by Neon, has employed guerilla marketing tactics to generate buzz in the lead-up to its theatrical release, such as the teaser trailer released in January, which did not reveal the title of the film until a follow-up trailer in February. The marketing tactics used by the studio have been compared to those used by the creators of 1999’s The Blair Witch Project, particularly a cipher published in the Seattle Times, which directed readers to a website that details the murders committed in the film. Since its release, Longlegs, which made ten million dollars on its first day in cinemas, has been hailed as the scariest movie of the decade by the likes of the Washington Post and the BBC. It has also drawn comparisons to other films, such as Jonathan Demme’s 1991 thriller The Silence of the Lambs, but Hollywood buzz and box office records aside, is that a good thing? Whilst there are some glaringly obvious similarities between the two, such as the FBI agent protagonist(s) Lee Harker and The Silence of the Lambs’ Clarice Starling, as well as Longlegs basement hideout, which is reminiscent of Buffalo Bills bug-infested bunker. What Longlegs offers in comparison to the films it has been compared to, particularly in terms of character study, is more surface level. We know that Harker is closed off and introverted; her interactions with her co-workers are often strained with an awkward silence, but aside from a few glimpses into Harker’s childhood home with her heavily religious mother, who also happens to be a hoarder, we never really find out why she is the way she is. this lack of backstory was likely intended to add to the film’s creepy and mysterious atmosphere, but it ultimately leaves viewers with little care for the outcomes of the characters. The ending, whilst clever, felt rushed, as if the director didn’t trust the audience enough to understand what was happening, and as such, uses the last twenty or so minutes to explain the origin of Longlegs and his crimes to the viewer, rather than showing them. This type of exposition would have been of more use throughout the flashback sequences of Harker’s childhood to allow the audience to build an understanding of the character throughout the film.

What it lacks in world-building, however, it more than makes up for in cinematography and scare factor. Each shot is darkly lit with amber hues during the flashbacks and cool-toned blues and greys to represent the present (in this case, the 1990s); it’s understated yet effective; the flashback sequences were shot on 16mm film and are smaller in scale, reminiscent of a 1970s television set. Unlike many horror films of today, Longlegs is less focused on jump scares. The frightfulness builds, beginning with the release of promotional material in January of this year, and it comes to a head during the interrogation scene between Harker and Longlegs, where the protagonist gets her first real glimpse of the twisted killer.

Oz Perkins 2024 release Longlegs, which centres around a decades-long cold case involving an occultist serial killer, is a creepy and aesthetically pleasing horror-thriller. However, it’s lack of character building and rushed ending leave it in the shadows of the films it has been compared to, namely Jonathen Demme’s The Silence of the Lambs. Despite its flaws it’s a visually striking and creepy film that will charm fans of the horror genre.