I watched Longlegs and I liked it. 3/5
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Longlegs is a thriller that tries to mix horror elements with noir-style crime suspense, delivering an atmospheric experience that’s equal parts chilling and puzzling. Directed by Osgood Perkins, known for his moody, slow-burn style in films like The Blackcoat’s Daughter and I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House, this movie once again shows his talent for creating unsettling atmospheres and deeply layered visuals. Yet, for all its moody tension, Longlegs ultimately struggles with pacing and feels incomplete in terms of its story. It’s a film that grabs you visually but leaves you wanting more in terms of narrative depth and character development. While it’s certainly haunting and memorable, the experience doesn’t fully satisfy.
Longlegs follows the story of Ellen (played by Maika Monroe), a young FBI profiler tasked with tracking down a mysterious serial killer known as “Longlegs” (Nicolas Cage). This killer has a penchant for creating twisted and macabre crime scenes, leaving a trail of death and ominous clues that feel more symbolic than straightforward. The film presents Ellen as both deeply talented and haunted, but her character isn’t given enough dimension to make her fully relatable or engaging. Monroe does her best with what she’s given, bringing a quiet intensity to the role that reflects her internal struggles, yet the script doesn’t quite let her dig deeper.
As Ellen’s investigation progresses, she dives into the twisted psyche of the killer, and we’re introduced to flashbacks and surreal sequences that are meant to shed light on his motivations. These scenes are where Perkins’ style truly shines—he’s a director who knows how to make darkness beautiful and how to capture unease in the simplest of images. Each crime scene is meticulously crafted to be both disturbing and visually poetic, blending horror with almost painterly composition. The cinematography by Julie Kirkwood deserves a lot of credit for creating an environment that feels both grounded in gritty realism and otherworldly at the same time. Shadow-filled rooms, dim streetlights, and the contrast of blood against muted tones create an eerie beauty that feels distinctly Perkins.
However, the pacing of Longlegs is a significant issue. The film spends so much time building its atmosphere that it occasionally forgets to move the plot forward. Scenes linger a beat too long, and moments that are supposed to be impactful feel diluted due to the film’s slow, almost lethargic rhythm. For a thriller, the lack of momentum can be frustrating. While tension is there in spurts, the film’s sense of urgency often feels muted, which undercuts the suspense and keeps you from becoming fully invested in Ellen’s investigation. Just when you think the story is about to accelerate, it pulls back into a meandering introspection that doesn’t always pay off.
The killer, “Longlegs,” is meant to be an enigma—a figure that exists more as a shadow, something both haunting and fascinating. But despite the film’s best efforts to keep his character mysterious, the limited backstory and shallow motivation make him feel like a missed opportunity. A good horror-thriller needs a compelling antagonist, someone whose presence looms over the story, but Longlegs doesn’t fully deliver on this front. There’s a lack of clarity in who he is and why he does what he does, which could work if the film leaned harder into psychological horror, but it seems to shy away from digging into the character’s psyche.
While Longlegs has moments of brilliance—especially visually—it ultimately feels underdeveloped. Perkins’ talent for mood-setting is undeniable, and the film is rich in haunting imagery, but it’s lacking in the kind of narrative depth and tension that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Monroe’s performance is commendable, but her character feels underwritten, and without a fully realized antagonist, the film’s stakes feel low.
In the end, Longlegs is an intriguing but flawed experiment in horror-noir. It’s an experience you’ll remember more for its imagery than its story, and while there’s something admirable about its ambition, it leaves you feeling like it could have done more. If you’re a fan of Perkins’ previous work or enjoy a slow, visually rich horror-thriller, there’s value to be found here. But for those looking for a tightly wound narrative with relentless tension, Longlegs may just come up a bit short.