REVIEW: As a thriller, ‘Longlegs’ is laudable, but not quite legendary

Sometimes Nicolas Cage plays a character who’s just a little off. That’s not the case here, because the character he portrays in “Longlegs” is completely off.

In this film, Cage plays a serial killer known as Longlegs who’s been on the loose for decades. To help catch him after a recent family massacre, the head of Oregon’s FBI office brings in Agent Lee Harker (Maika Monroe). 

Awkward in social situations but completely dedicated to her profession, Harker begins the case with vigor, going over every clue, including letters left by Longlegs. Eventually, she’s able to decode them, but they only lead to more mysteries and memories from her own past.

It’s hard not to love the look of “Longlegs.” It’s a suspenseful, dark murder mystery that’s sensationally stylized. The shot composition and framing are all so deliberate and carefully crafted to enhance the dim mood and creepy atmosphere.

Director Osgood Perkins and the film’s cinematographer Andres Arochi, as well as the editors Greg Ng and Graham Fortin, deserve a lot of credit for building a dramatic horror with such a great visual identity. The movie’s strength is undoubtedly its look, as what it shows, and doesn’t show, properly establish a high level of eeriness.

What the movie does for the viewer’s eyes is mostly backed up by its story and character work. The movie is an unnerving investigation procedural with plenty of intrigue in its mystery and an underlying sense of dread as the characters uncover more truths.

One just really wishes the movie had been better able to stick the landing in the latter portion of its runtime. “Longlegs” has a really great build-up, but what it ultimately leads to isn’t quite satisfying. That’s not to say it negates the positive things it does, but it does pull the film down from a great picture to a good one.

Character-wise, “Longlegs” is also largely strong, but there are a few issues as well. Maika Monroe’s Lee Harker can sometimes be a bit too awkward in social settings, but for the most part, she’s a worthy protagonist. Monroe makes the character properly obsessed with the case, too and captures Lee’s past traumas, which have made her not entirely trusting.

Of course, the figure likely to draw the most attention is Cage, who, as usual, puts his all into the character. It’s a “for better and for worse” situation. Cage definitely has some disturbing moments and he has a ghoulish look. So, overall, Cage mostly works in this and an audience can buy him as a killer who leaves a macabre trail.

However, there are also moments when it’s noticeably Nicolas Cage going to extremes. It simply breaks the immersion. As previously stated, though, Cage is largely good, as is Underwood as Lee’s superior and Alicia Witt as her religious mother.

“Longlegs” is a movie that nearly reaches the high status other dark detective films have reached, but unfortunately falls short. The film is enjoyable in several ways, from its tension building through how the characters unravel the mystery to its phenomenal look and feel. Yet the characters feel like they could have been slightly improved and the final act leaves a person wanting more. 3.65 out of 5.

Author: Matthew Liedke

Journalist and film critic in Minnesota. Graduate of Rainy River College and Minnesota State University in Moorhead. Outside of movies I also enjoy sports, craft beers and the occasional video game. View all posts by Matthew Liedke