Glen’s review published on Letterboxd:
I want you to remember the very first horror flick to really get to you. I mean REALLY get to you. Remember the petrified feeling it left you with once the credits rolled. The one that kept you up at night, so scared even blinking felt like a risk. Remember the one that had you seeing dark shadowy figures in corners. The one you may even refuse to rewatch, because you just can’t bear to witness it again. That’s Longlegs. I’ll be blunt here, I really don’t think this film is for the faint of heart.
However, if you dare to watch it I believe you’ll have a horror experience that’s profoundly unsettling, and impossible to ever get out of your head. Before going into the film I read that the first time Maika Monroe saw Nicolas Cage as Longlegs, her heart rate hit 170 bpm. I don’t blame her whatsoever, because Cage delivers in my opinion his most chilling performance to date. I mean you can tell he really embodied this character with such a menacing intensity that just makes his role unforgettable. Turns out Cage found inspiration for this character from his mother? So should they just give him the Oscar now or what? Maika Monroe as Lee Harker shines in her role as well. Easily showcasing to the audience her characters palpable sense of fear, and determination to solve this case.
Oz Perkins the director perfectly uses their talents to create a powerful dynamic between the two. It kept me on edge, and I was never quite sure which of them ever had the upper hand. The narrative is intricate almost acting as a thriller, and the cinematography throughout is hauntingly beautiful. But, it’s not just what you see on screen, but what you hear also. While at times it might not be much at all, the sound design is so masterfully done that it embellishes those eerie silences in ways you just have to experience for yourself. It’s really amazing how these jarring sounds work to amplify the ongoing tension on just about every scene. I haven’t witnessed horror done like this in such a longtime I thought the magic had been lost forever.
My faith has now been restored, and I believe the storytelling is what truly helps Longlegs bring the genre back to life. This is not just any horror movie, it’s a plunge into what can truly terrify us, and why. This became an easy personal favorite of mine as it didn’t rely on predictable tropes, and jump scares to try and produce a horror film. Instead each shot is imbued with a feeling of pure dread that slowly builds, and delivers a climax that just might leave you breathless. It certainly did for me!
