Longlegs
Goliwadekar

Review by Goliwadekar

Longlegs 2024

★★★½

Watched Aug 25, 2024

"Daddy! Mommy! Unmake me! And save me from the hell of living!"

It is the 1990s and there have been a string of murders under suspicious circumstances. Family members killing their own and committing suicide for no apparent reason. No forced entry. No real pattern. Lee Harker is appointed on the case. To watch all of this unfold in a wide lense angle with the typical Osgood Perkins' version of eerie silence and sinister violence is like a horror treat filled with claustrophobia and uneasiness.

Nicholas Cage, as the titular character does performs enough disturbing activities to both wonder why does he have to choose such roles and also be fully in awe with it. The intuitive protagonist, Lee Harker has an immense presence who talks the talk and walks the walk, both on a timely basis. There is a sudden change of heart in the film midway through, as what seemed closer to Seven (1995) at a point, goes through a metamorphosis and becomes virtually unrecognisable after the hour mark. Having said that, a voiceover filling in the blanks at some points definitely hampers the film.

However, as with Perkins' other two films that I have seen, The Blackcoat's Daughter (2015) and I am the Pretty Thing that Lives in the House (2016), despite having great atmosphere and a thoroughly unholy story, it ultimately runs in circles. Enough to wonder what even is the purpose of these films, that or him being an actual Satanist. I am not being judgemental here because he really seems to have mastered his craft here. All three films have some immaculate plot devices which will never make me forget them for some reason.

"Just happy as peaches to go your heavy heart go pop-pop and your eyeses to go all to blood."

Overall, it ends up being in the same territory of his earlier films, which is impactful and disturbing enough, but far from my favourites. A worthy addition being, the performances and some witty dialogues. Recommended for a late night watch, especially when one is wide awake. If that is not the case, they would most likely sleep to it like a baby dozing off to a lullaby.

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