jack’s review published on Letterboxd:
I want to start by saying that the person I went to see this with felt very differently about it. She doesn’t watch very much and was worried about it being too scary but ended up saying it was never really scary and she couldn’t take Nicolas Cage seriously. I think I’m definitely still lacking in watches in the horror genre still, but I thought this was pretty good and decently scary. I thought Nic Cage was slightly goofy, but I don’t think it was unintentional at all necessarily. He was very creepy, and I definitely laughed more from being uncomfortable than anything else. I think audiences and the marketing for this film have compared it to Silence of the Lambs a lot, and I do understand that and think it’s valid. Prisoners might be a much better film comparison though. It’s like Prisoners if it were much louder, in every sense or definition of the word louder.
If you’re hearing a lot of hype for this movie and wondering, “Is it really that scary?” I’d say maybe. Definitely not if you go in expecting the scariest thing you’ve ever watched or something close, but maybe it’ll live up to your expectations if they’re more reasonable.
THE MAN DOWNSTAIRS IS COMING.
Longlegs is a suffocatingly tense film at times and a methodically and innocently seductive film at others. It largely plays with atmosphere and preys on what you don’t want to be true, on the unknown, and on the uncommonness of cold, blunt, terror. Lee Harker, our special agent protagonist, is both a novice and deeply committed to her work. Instead of possibly giving away too much, I’ll say Maika Monroe plays her very well. I definitely enjoyed the dynamic between her and Agent Carter, I think they had great chemistry as well. Nicolas Cage as the titular character, an eccentric, demonic, and calculated serial killer, is creepy, deeply disturbing, and without a doubt memorable.
I loved everything the film did with aspect ratios, perspective, and grain. Loved the grain. The score is also kind of amazing, and I think it is used very creatively sometimes. I loved the anti-jumpscares. There’s a very definite sense of dread that comes from many of these things, and it worked quite well.
I loved the sound design.
I want more static. Give me more static. I need more static.
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I think when the film delves the most into the occult is when it’s both at its best and worst. It’s most horrific then, but I think there’s also too much said. Thematically, it’s explained a bit too much. Technically, on the science of the occult, we know too much. It’s kind of guaranteed to feel messy at that point. Still, it’s extremely effective in its horror. I kind of loved all of that until it felt too predictable, and I don’t think the most unrealistic parts worked very well.
I thought the protagonist’s greatest appeal was severely undercut when it was given explanation, especially with it explaining so much.
I really appreciated a lot of the double meaning, and the religious themes work extremely well despite the fantastical elements not.
I really hope this film inspires a lot in technique and focus on atmosphere, but I also just want more FBI Agent protagonists in strange, depressing worlds.
Also, the marketing, fucking amazing.
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me + Prisoners ???
fuck yeah
also some Zodiac but mostly just in outside lore
i think i def want to want to rewatch and do a spoiler review
heyyy longlegs 😘
