The anticipation of seeing this new movie Longlegs from Oz Perkins was getting the better of me when the trailer was being shown during the last few weeks, my only hope for this “horror” was that the trailer and the hype really wouldn’t spoil the movie for me when I finally got around to watching it.
FBI Agent Lee Harker, played by Maika Monroe, delves into an unsolved case of a serial killer with occult ties, uncovering a personal link to the perpetrator. Harker races against time to prevent the killer from striking again.
Over the last few weeks and months, there has been an influx of “horror” movies arriving on the big screen. While some have been a tad disappointing with others something worth enjoying, the thought of another movie that has been classed as “the scariest” movie at the moment had me wondering, has the movie that will make me feel uneasy finally arrived?
The simple response is yes, Longlegs is a movie that made me jump within the first few minutes of it starting and the introduction to Nicolas Cage as the titular character. The scene was something I wasn’t expecting as he introduced himself to a young Harker and apologised for “wearing his long legs”. I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck start to stand and a shiver running down my spine, only to be shaken to the bone with a moment that I will never forget.
Despite this shocking moment, that was it for jumps for me but that doesn’t mean that Longlegs isn’t scary, it is but not in the way of making you leap out of your seat. The entire movie from start to finish gives you a very uneasy feeling, Cage’s stunning performance is not only brilliant to watch but also completely freaks you out to the standout performance from Monroe as she tries to find out who is behind the brutal killings that are happening to the families that have been targeted.
I don’t want to delve deep into the story etc. as I don’t want to spoil the outcome of the twists and turns in the story. But there is certainly more than meets the eye with what is happening with the characters as the investigation advances and the strangeness intensifies.
Longlegs is a movie that certainly kept my attention not only with the cast and story but also with the style of the movie. We have several moments where we change the screen ratio from widescreen to a 4:3 ratio, at the start we kick off in 4:3 and branch out into a widescreen format which works brilliantly.
The cinematography by Andres Arochi certainly gives the movie a certain feel and works great through many, if not most, of the movie. The sound editing also adds to the tension and atmosphere that makes Longlegs a cinematic experience that has to be seen in a cinema to get the full effect.
It’s nice to see a horror movie that doesn’t rely on the gore or the over-the-top jump scares, director Oz Perkins has brought us a movie which is a great example of how you can have a horror movie that will scare you with its use of fear and uneasiness over the use of blood and guts.
Maika Monroe and Nicolas Cage Bring Horror Back
Movie title: Longlegs (2024)
Movie description: 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.
Date published: July 15, 2024
Country: UK
Duration: 1h 41
Director(s): Oz Perkins
Actor(s): Maika Monroe, Nicolas Cage, Blair Underwood
Genre: Crime, Horror, Thriller
Summary
Longlegs is a movie that proves that you can have a film in the horror genre that doesn’t need the shocks and gore to make it a horror movie.
Karen Woodham is the founder and owner of the Blazing Minds. She is also a Cinema reviewer and works with RealD 3D reviewing the latest 3D releases and IMAX, she has also had several articles published in various publications including the first edition of SFW Magazine. In 2015 she became an Award Winning Blogger and also has her website listed as one of the UK’s Top 10 Film Blogs.
