Longlegs: A Haunting Thriller That Leaves More to Unravel
Neon, the powerhouse distributor behind this year’s Cannes Film Festival winner and arguably the most talked-about production company of the moment, brings us Longlegs, a new horror film starring Maika Monroe and Nicolas Cage. The film is currently in theaters worldwide.
Directed and written by Oz Perkins—the son of Psycho (1960) icon Anthony Perkins—Longlegs stays true to the genre that immortalized his father in film history. The story draws inspiration from classics like David Fincher’s Zodiac (2007) while also incorporating broader horror tropes that have defined the genre in recent years.
The film follows FBI agent Lee Harker (played by Maika Monroe), who is assigned to an unsolved serial killer case—the dreaded Longlegs, portrayed by the ever-versatile Nicolas Cage. As the investigation unfolds, Lee discovers personal connections to the killer, realizing she is far more entangled in the case than she initially thought.
Perkins’ cinematography deeply embraces the horror aesthetic, beginning with a tight 1:1 aspect ratio that visually traps Lee before she is even aware of the sinister presence surrounding her. The oppressive framing reinforces the idea that evil is omnipresent, lurking in the mundane aspects of daily life. It is only when the aspect ratio expands that we glimpse a potential resolution to the mystery that has haunted investigators for years.
Longlegs’ presence in the film echoes references like The Silence of the Lambs (1991) by Jonathan Demme, where the antagonist appears briefly on screen yet dictates the entire narrative through the weight of their actions. Despite limited screen time, we fully grasp the evil that Longlegs embodies and the mysticism that surrounds him.
However, unlike The Silence of the Lambs, where Hannibal Lecter provides Clarice with critical insights to solve her cases, Longlegs offers no such solutions—only a cryptic guide for Lee to follow.
The film has received widespread critical acclaim, and it is worth noting that one of its production companies is Nicolas Cage’s Saturn Films.
Perkins delivers a film that, in theory, works exceptionally well—creating a gripping atmosphere through its cinematography and tension-building techniques. However, Longlegs ultimately only scratches the surface of its potential. By attempting to incorporate a wide array of horror conventions, it struggles to develop them in greater depth.
Still, the film remains a compelling entry into the genre and is currently playing in theaters, with no signs of leaving the big screen anytime soon.
