Longlegs
By Jeffrey M. Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Gore and shock in brutally effective serial killer movie.
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Longlegs
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Based on 7 parent reviews
LONGLEGS
LONGLEGS is a psychological serial killer horror movie. Many scenes include: fighting, shooting, a gory suicide, and more. There is barely any romance and there is no drug use. This movie is okay for ages 15 & up.
What's the Story?
In LONGLEGS, it's the 1990s, and FBI Special Agent Lee Harker (Maika Monroe) is transferred to the case of the serial killer known as "Longlegs" (Nicolas Cage) after she demonstrates psychic abilities. According to Lee's supervisor, Agent Carter (Blair Underwood), Longlegs—who's responsible for murdering families with daughters whose birthdays are on the 14th of the month—has been at large for decades. Longlegs somehow influences the fathers in these families to do the actual killings, leaving no trace of his own involvement other than coded letters that no one has been able to crack. Lee gets a mysterious envelope from the killer in which he promises to murder her own mother (Alicia Witt) if she tells anyone she's been contacted. But as Lee continues to find new clues, the case grows stranger and stranger.
Is It Any Good?
A cat-and-mouse thriller in the grand tradition of great serial killer movies, this one uses familiar elements but ramps them up to nightmarish levels with its stark angles and chilling rhythms. Written and directed by Osgood "Oz" Perkins—the son of Psycho star Anthony Perkins—Longlegs goes a long way toward proving his status as a top horror filmmaker. It begins with what looks like old 8mm home movie footage, with just a suggestion of what's to come. (Cage appears only from the mouth downward, and his sudden shriek is truly disquieting.) Then the frame stretches out to wide, making nerve-rattling use of its choice of composition, sound, and cutting. It's so expertly crafted that standard jump scares play more like genuine shocks.
The puzzle is crafty and clever, keeping viewers riveted, although—unlike its spiritual inspirations The Silence of the Lambs, Seven, and Zodiac—Longlegs also flirts with the supernatural, which sometimes works and sometimes feels like a shortcut. The performances are solid, especially a heavily made-up Cage as an even more over-the-top character than we could have possibly imagined. Monroe also delivers, although her character, by design, comes across as a bit chilly, which gives the movie a distancing quality. But the end result is still brutally effective, effortlessly worming its way into the part of your brain where the dark things live.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Longlegs' violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
Why are people often fascinated with stories about serial killers? Does the movie glorify Longlegs, or are viewers repelled by him?
How does Lee Harker compare to Clarice Starling (from The Silence of the Lambs)? How do others see her? How is the fact that she's a woman a benefit? A challenge?
Is the movie scary? What's the appeal of horror movies? Why do people sometimes enjoy being scared?
Do women and characters of color have agency? Did you notice any stereotypes being used?
Movie Details
- In theaters: July 12, 2024
- Cast: Maika Monroe , Blair Underwood , Nicolas Cage
- Director: Oz Perkins
- Inclusion Information: Female actors, Black actors
- Studio: Neon
- Genre: Horror
- Run time: 101 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: bloody violence, disturbing images and some language
- Last updated: July 29, 2024
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