Nicholas Cage is unrecognisable as the terrifying Longlegs in 2024’s most horrifying crime movie
Cage has taken on an unusual role that is sure to leave you questioning reality and keep you awake at night.
When Agent Lee Harker (Maiker Monroe) is put on a serial killer case she soon learns that she is connected to it herself being able to decode Longlegs’ cryptic messages. Keeping secrets from the other agents soon causes her some problems as the mystery thickens.
Something about this movie is unbelievably unsettling, most likely due to the tension you feel throughout. It’s like you never get a moment to recompose yourself. Director Oz Perkins did not shy away from showing the gore, now I won’t spoil anything but some of the murders and violence are so intensified people have been seen bawling their eyes out after the movie. A trend on TikTok has circulated with people showing themselves before and after the movie and some look genuinely traumatised. We don’t see Longlegs’ face for most of the start of the film which adds to the horror of it all, who is this mysterious man and why is he singing at a child? Oh yeah, he sings too. Really rather creepy. Harlow MacFarlane aced the makeup on this one, saying the inspiration for Longlegs was “botched plastic surgery” which I can really see.
The overall story is very clever and let’s just say I’m glad my birthday isn’t the 14th of the month which is the date he targets family’s whose daughters were born on that day. It’s one of those stories that just doesn’t go the way you’re expecting it too and right when you think the film is about to end it just keeps going. The use of framing and lighting in this movie is lovely, really adding to the mystery. You want the camera to tilt up to release the tension and show you more but it doesn’t leaving you scared, gripping your sides so hard you’re sure they must be bruised. Or maybe that was just me.
I really enjoyed this film and thought it was so very original, I definitely couldn’t come up with something as inane as this myself. It’s sure to give you a few restless nights of sleep trying to wrap your head around the unusual ending that has had everybody Googling for an explanation. Or maybe just from the nightmares.
Longlegs is available to stream now