American filmmaker Oz Perkins has deep ties to the world of horror and thriller cinema, not simply for his familial legacy (Perkins is the son of Hollywood icon and the original Norman Bates, Anthony Perkins) but for his own career as an actor, writer and director as well.
Perkins’s directorial efforts - The Blackcoat’s Daughter, I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives In the House, and Gretel & Hansel - all boast some gorgeous macabre visuals and exceptionally effective atmospheres, often leaving viewers to mull over the films’ lingering imagery long after the credits have finished rolling.
His latest feature, Longlegs, is no exception in that regard. Cinematographer Andrés Arochi employs a grainy aesthetic and makes a couple of fun creative choices with the aspect ratio to match the story’s mood and 1990’s setting. In one of the film’s most chilling sequences, Arochi and Perkins capture an unsettling resemblance to home video recordings of the time, shrinking the frame to help accentuate a child’s perspective as she encounters the titular monster out in her yard.
Of course, Longlegs (played by the incomparable Nicolas Cage) isn’t the kind of monster with sharp claws and teeth, but worse; an all-too-human killer with a messed up mind and a disturbing regard for young girls. Longlegs has been a menace for years now and leaving far too many bodies in his wake, but the FBI can never seem to catch him or even find any hard evidence linking him to the crimes. Longlegs’s victims are always families, and all of their grisly wounds appear to be inflicted by a member of those families.
The complication is the various notes that have been left at every murder scene, each one containing cryptic Satanic codes and messages along with Longlegs’ own distinct stamp of approval. FBI agent Lee Harker (Scream Queen extraordinaire Maika Monroe) is assigned to the strange case under the command of the frustrated Agent Carter (Blair Underwood), who’s been met with dead end after dead end thus far.
As Lee begins to immerse herself in the crimes and patterns of this particularly idiosyncratic criminal, things begin to get far too close and far too personal. In a race against time to stop Longlegs before he can claim the lives of even more innocents, Lee uncovers dark truths about the case and herself that are far more horrifying than she could have ever imagined.
Monroe has proven herself time and time to be one of the most enthralling actors to star in modern genre features, with standout performances in films like It Follows, Watcher, and Significant Other. She delivers a powerfully understated performance in Longlegs, playing Lee as a reserved woman troubled by the disturbing nature of her work and haunted by an incident in her past. Cage is in great form as well, as the eccentric actor is allowed to embrace his most capricious tendencies to create an unforgettably unsettling antagonist.
Longlegs isn’t exactly a horror movie. It has more in common with David Fincher films like Se7en and Zodiac, the sort of serial killer thriller that radiates an almost overwhelming sense of dread. Perkins’ signature style shines its brightest (or should we say darkest?) in the film’s first half, filling the air with a suffocating sound design and shots where it feels like something could come out of the dark at any moment. Prepare to have to have your fight or flight mode activated.
However, that expertly crafted first half of intense dread, terror and intrigue unfortunately gives way to a second half that loses almost all of that power. While the cast remains locked in to the material, Longlegs’ plot hits a point where it overexplains and overcomplicates itself, making its previous atmosphere of sinister nebulousness all but evaporate entirely. It’s a definite misstep, especially since the overall vibe of his movies has always been Perkins’ biggest strength, but not necessarily a dealbreaker.
Longlegs has the rare ability to linger in your mind thanks to its chilling direction and performances, and despite its heavy content, it will likely be a movie that fans will want to revisit and uncover more from. There’s a genuinely evil energy about it - the kind of scary movie that’ll have you sleeping with the lights on for a good while.
‘Longlegs’ is now playing in theaters.
