First Thoughts
Let me start out by saying the marketing that NEON did for this film was a 12/10. They built the hype off billboards, fake phone numbers to call, short clips that creeped you the fuck out, and continuous teasing without giving you the whole pie. It was a masterclass in how to hype up a film. I went into this with very high expectations based on reviews and it did meet my expectations, but not in the way I was expecting. This is not a terrifying film. This is a disturbing slow burn that makes your skin crawl from minute one to the credits. The performances link together so well and the story overall just fucks with your mind as you try to unravel what is going on. I applaud the work the entire cast did to put Oz Perkins version on the big screen and for it to be as successful as it has been based on first weekend numbers. This is a wonderful callback to detective horror and serial killer plots done RIGHT.
Maika Monroe Transforms Into The So Memorable Special Agent Lee Harkin
At the forefront of the entire plot of the film is an unforgettable performance by Maika Monroe as Lee Harkin. She is extremely intuitive that even feels psychic during the film. She is socially awkward but you meet her mother and then how she acts and her personality being so dry and awkward make so much sense. She does an amazing job of making this character come to life throughout the film. She starts to unfold the whole story and you can see in her performance she continues to connect closer and closer to Longlegs through her studying his patterns, and the timing of deaths throughout his killing spree. You truly feel like you’re following along with her as she unfolds the story and investigation with you.
She belongs in the deep conversation of modern scream queens. Her performance here and in It Follows alone is enough to give her top tier credibility but she is out of this world when it comes to playing a great role in a disturbing film. The press she has done also has really helped the marketing of the film. Talking about Nic Cage’s performance and the mention of the rise in her heart rate when she saw him I sold school movie marketing and I love it.
What Can We Say About The Infamous Serial Killer LONGLEGS?!
Nicholas Cage gives us an incredible embodiment of a 90s serial killer that believes heavily in his cult purpose and almost doesn’t feel like he is of this world. The original reveal of him is stunning. The makeup is so creepy and weird and his mannerisms just make you uncomfortable as fuck. I applaud any performance Nic Cage does in the horror realm. The notes was a great touch being left at each scene. The ramping up of clues and appearances once he realized Lee was onto him. The connection he painted with all the girls and Lee specifically adds so much to this character that truly puts it in an elite detective horror-thriller realm.
Unfortunately, the more I saw him on screen, the less creeped out I was. I got used to it and desensitized to it quickly. The singing took me out a little bit too. I know it was deranged and his character, but I just almost felt like talking to himself creepily would have been more effective. The looming presence of him in the beginning was stuff of nightmares though and it built up all the suspense for you that eventually unfolded into his connection to Lee and her mother. Which was an incredible twist/reveal in my opinion of his accomplice and the motive made perfect sense. This is such a well thought out plot and story and LONGLEGS had to be as effective as Nic Cage made him for this to all come together. And it fuckin ruled.
Hollywood, Take Fuckin’ Notes From LONGLEGS On How To Market A Film
I’ll be the first to say this film was unsettling and creepy, but not scary. It’s not chock full of jump scares and really only has one that catches you and frightens you. Sure, there is scary imagery and background figures of the devil, but that felt more creepy than frightening for a viewer.
I say that because the marketing for this movie made you believe you were about to see the scariest movie ever put to film. NEON did an insane job to get this across social media with the short clips, the signs and language in posters, the creepy and ominous posters, the phone number to call that LONGLEGS answers, and many more tactics that every studio should take notes from. It got people to the fucking theaters and got people BUZZING about what they would experience during the film.
Please all horror movies take this approach. I respect The Strangers franchise trying to use ring doorbell cameras for marketing. It felt too cheesy and honestly nothing was saving that film for me. But this one. This one told you little in the trailer, allowed the cast to paint a creepy picture in promo, and then media press week it took off. Didn’t hurt that it had a 100% on RT after 26 reviews. May not feel like a lot but those are top critics first reactions and this is a horror movie, so that’s huge.
Cinematography So Sweet The Devil Himself Loved It
These two images above I feel like hits the points I want to make with cinematography for this film. Whether it’s snowy bright wide shots, or close quarters with dark corners that you can sort of make out figures in, this movie hits the nail on the head in almost every shot. A lot of wide angles are used in this and it pays off. Many car driving scenes down a dark desolate ride at dusk sets the atmosphere and mood. The flashback scenes to the house in the show felt dangerous and creepy, when normally during the day you feel most safe from the wicked beings like LONGLEGS.
Many other flashbacks were shot with a camera set in one frame also with no cuts. Such as the rural family where you see the father kill the priest and his wife. All in one frame from an adjacent room. Then a far away shot of Lee’s mother being tied up with the devil in the back. Just masterful shots that fit so well in this movie that it was mesmerizing to see. I really hope film majors would take notes of stuff like this and how well the shots, space, and lighting was used to be so effective. This truly is a movie I’d watch again just for how good the shots and scenes looked. The mood set in the mental hospital also was a blood orange color and you felt so uncomfortable during that odd exchange. Hats off to Kiernan Shipka also. She acted her ass off for those 10 minutes and I love her.
Final Thoughts
The more I think about this movie after seeing it, the more I’m okay with it not being the scariest film ever or even scary in the slightest. Because it was so creepy, unsettling, and disturbing, I can look past that. The film committed to that tone and drove it home. The twist of the mother at the end was something you could see coming with how off she was, but even still you wouldn’t have expected the extent of her involvement dressing as a nun to deliver the puppets and the possession all in one.
The realization of Agent Carter’s daughter being the next target had the theater audibly gasp. Blair Underwood also was just incredible as Agent Carter in this film and his dynamic with Lee made the slow burn feel engaging throughout. I want to see him in more horror going forward. The ending is ambiguous also and I’m okay with that. Did Lee stop it? Are there other accomplices? Do others believe in this motive as LONGLEGS did? I love having those questions at the end while also getting some resolve with the mother also dying after LONGLEGS was gone.
This movie was really fucking good and I can’t wait to see it again. Detective horror like this is exciting and every sequence of the movie built on plot points that were laid out and fit in a puzzle perfectly.
RATING: 4/5
The Cinema Speakeasy Theatre Room 
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