Long Legs [credit: neon]
Long Legs has been the talk of the town in terms of early screening reactions being called “the scariest movie of the decade”, not only raising eyebrows but also raising expectations. Neon backs it up with a strong marketing campaign that has gotten a lot of awesome fans excited about it. Oz Perkins features recent horror stars Maika Monroe, Nicolas Cage, Blair Underwood and Alicia Witt.
The official synopsis reads “In pursuit of a serial killer, an FBI agent uncovers a series of occult clues that he must solve in order to complete his terrifying murder spree.” Maika Monroe plays the role of Lee Harker, an FBI agent on the hunt for Longlegs, who is described as intelligent and sensitive, while Nic Cage, who also produced the movie, plays a terrifying serial killer. Perkins sets the norm right off the bat with the very first scene of the movie, which only sets the tone for what's to come.
Long Legs [credit: neon]
The movie is divided into 3 parts which act as three general elements in the feature. The first two acts focus more on Lee as we get to know him and follow the FBI's pursuit of a serial killer on the streets. Lee is a single child, lives alone in a small house in the woods, and is very intelligent, maybe even a genius. He is able to decipher the clues left by Longlegs at the murder sites. His performance is restrained but penetrating and often reflects how the viewer feels when watching Longlegs.
Nicolas Cage is terrifyingly terrifying as our deadly assassin. He is the scariest villain since Bill Skarsgaard's Pennywise in my opinion. His screen time is limited but, it is very impactful. The makeup and costume design deserves a lot of credit for his extremely sinister look and sometimes you can't tell it's Cage under that wig. He has some very depressing habits and his mere words are enough to scare the hell out of you. Perkins manages to get the best out of both of his leads, while the supporting cast is decent as well.
When it comes to visuals, this is an aesthetically strong film. Perkins was able to create a sense of tension and fear through varying aspect ratios and his choice of color range supported by a soothing sound design. Where he fails to write. The film moves very slowly at times which causes it to lose its energy. Some of the dialogue also feels too familiar or out of date, with jokes that feel clichéd and unnecessary.
Long Legs [credit: neon]
The film also falls into many genres, many of which are made but don't work. It's a horror film at first but it's also a serial crime drama, an investigative thriller with shades of noir and the supernatural. The script falls off a cliff in the third act, with a twist that makes sense, but is much less. That said, the way it explores evil is interesting and provides a lot of food for thought. I would suggest going into this movie with no knowledge, the less you know the better.
Long Legs it might not be the scariest movie of the decade but it has more than enough to crawl under your skin and bring chills. It has a strong lead performance, effective jumpscars, and a good aesthetic that doesn't scare and it works best when it explores evil and focuses on their characters. Thrill fans should definitely experience this breathtaking and terrifying ride. Perkins' latest feature is the best so far, but that said, it gets buried under high expectations.
Longlegs will be released in cinemas on July 12.
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