There is so much to say about Oz Perkins ‘Longlegs’ (2024) and I don’t even know where to start. First off, I went to see this in a packed theater on the second day it opened, and I walked out twenty minutes in. I’ve never done this before, and I will never do it again. I eventually went back a few hours later and saw the film in its entirety, but that’s how unnerving this picture was. I wasn’t in the right mind set and I needed to take the walk to really get a great viewing of this film. This is one of the most suspense filled films I have seen in lord knows how long. I was white knuckling the entire time through, and nothing could change that feeling. This is one of the most intense serial killer stories I have ever seen on screen, and I cannot wait to talk with anyone about what they thought. 

For starters, the time setting of this film is beyond perfect, and I’m not sure if anyone really appreciates what it is. The film is set in the early 1990’s, and it makes the entire film feel like a true time of hopelessness. There is clearly the fact that society was just on the cusp of modern technology, with easy communications between one another, but it was not relevant just yet. Along side that, it’s no surprise that the 1990’s really felt like a time of true hopelessness. Real serial killers were out on the loose, and depravity was the name of their game. Crimes became more and more heinous as the decade went on. The mix of a loss in humanity with the lack of support all fell together in a frankly perfect ideal of the whole film. 

One of the best ways to sum up the real horror of this film is a suburban nightmare. The locations used for this film manage to become a more horrifying characteristic than anything else. The quiet and loneliness of each neighborhood seen in the film makes a captivating visual. The streets and the houses are all something we have seen in our own lives, and it shows up in many of our dreams. On top of this, the film feeds into the idea that “it could be right next door to you” without saying it outright. This is a film that is truly about the suburban nightmare, and that’s a real fear that this film will unlock. 

On top of how disturbing the entire film is as a whole, it is not without saying that the filmmaking aspect is also just spot on. The camera usage is so specific to what the director wants to show us, and it makes for an even more horrifying experience. Take for example the intro scene, when we first see the killer names Longlegs, we never see his eyes. We hear his voice and we see his lips, but the eyes are divorced from the angle. There is a loss in characteristic when we don’t see the eyes, and the horror is only more real then. Throughout the entire film, the blocking and the management of the camper is all present and upfront. With all of that, the usage of the color red is almost just as important. Indicating a sense of hell and hopelessness. Much like the Giallo films of the 1970’s, the color red does not always make sense in a scene, but the characteristic of the light is a powerful statement in itself. 

Once seeing the movie ‘Longlegs’ (2024), you will understand the importance of sound and mostly music that pertains to it. There are only two songs that are truly heard through the film, and they play but little influence to what you’re seeing (on the surface). However, once diving deeper into the film, you’ll realize that the usage of silence is much more important than anything else. There does not need to be a swelling tension score that fills the silence, instead, the silence is the tension. It is clear how complicating this is to a film about a serial killer, but it truly delivers an important factor to the film. Most movies are afraid to be quiet, and most even refuse to be, but when a picture can do it right, like this, it truly works on a whole new level. 

Maika Monroe, of ‘It Follows’ (2014) and ‘Hot Summer Nights’ (2017) fame stars in this film as the leading detective. She clearly struggles with a form of autism that is unable to be diagnosed by this time in the film. She is forced to be the forefront of this film, even though she is never the draw. Her performance is raw while still having care in it. However, she does not simply compare to what is the most horrid, yet intriguing aspect of this film, Nicolas Cage. I have never seen Cage put in a performance like this before, and it was a struggle to see him on screen for any second. His wild and chaotic demeanor was beyond unsettling, and it only made me want to watch more. I can understand both criticisms of his performance, where it can make or break the entire viewing experience, but I will say, it’s all up to you on how you want it to be. Sure, his performance is funny, but it’s also horrific. This is one role that will stick with me for decades to come, and I cannot get his face out of my head anymore. 

Oz Perkins directs this modern horror crime thriller, and to great success. It’s apparent that much of this film is from outside of his own experience growing up (not literally). Perkins is the son of acclaimed ‘Psycho’ (1960) actor, Anthony Perkins. A closeted homosexual, who hid much from his family. Well, plenty of that idea goes into the film ‘Longlegs’ (2024), and much of it is said by Oz himself. His struggle of not knowing what his parents truly feel is displayed all of the screen of this film, and it clearly shows the hurt he gained from it. However, there is also a blatant love for his father as well, and Oz chooses to play with this idea as well. Perkins is a fascinating director who has not made many films I enjoy, but ‘Longlegs’ (2024) has now put him on the map for me, and I cannot wait to see what he does next. 

The marketing of this movie is one of a kind. We have seen other films make calculated moves before the picture is released, but nothing like this. With such a famous actor like Nicolas Cage helming the heal role, it’s amazing that the studio decided not to prompt him at all. It worked though. I was curious to see him in the movie, and clearly many others were as well, because both times I went, the theater was packed. The sound in the trailer, and the glimpses we saw were just enough to get us in those seats. Nothing was given away, it was all perfectly calculated. Going forward, I would not be surprised to see other films try this technique. If it works, then keep working it. 

There is so much more I could say about this film, but the time is limited. This is one amazing serial killer horror film. It’s tough to get a perfect balance of suspense in any picture, but this one nails it right on the head. Though this is not my favorite film of the year so far, it does come in at the top five. I have a suspense filled time with this picture, and I cannot believe what I really saw. My mind is jumbled and my heart is still racing. I just can’t wait for everyone to go see this modern serial killer classic.