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You take a little Silence of the Lambs, a little David Lynch, and a little Joyce Carol Oates, and what do you get?
The most surprising thing about Longlegs is just how straightforward it is. The occult murder mystery does not leave much up to the imagination*, but that doesn't mean there isn't room for ambiguity. In fact, I'd argue the ending of Longlegs is far more sinister and open-ended than some are making it out to be. I was surprised that everyone I've spoken with about the ending has a different interpretation of what they think happens after the credits roll.
Excellent performances here, Monroe and Cage obviously, but I was very impressed with Blair Underwood, playing the older, coarser FBI agent working closely with Monroe's Harker. He strikes a tone of skpeticism, sympathy, and humor that blends quite nicely with what Perkins is going for here. Sound design might be among some of my favorite this year---subtle effects mixed with wall-of-sound guitar droning. Nothing here is as bowel-emptyingly scary as some of the marketing may have suggested, but it's a damn good horror mystery.
*I think there are too many moments crafted to make sure the audience doesn't feel left behind, which is a foolish endeavor because people in our screening were complaining loudly in the lobby about how "it didn't make any sense" anyways. I'd argue just throw caution to the wind and double down on the cryptic tone anyways.
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