The present state of horror means we’re getting a deluge of movies attempting to outdo one another in sending chills up the backbone. This has resulted in a number of the most fascinating and risk-taking films within the style. Whereas A24’s plaudits for “elevated horror” are pretty passé at this level, I feel NEON are those releasing simply as heady scary movies however with a much more sinister edge, usually far more my velocity. Their newest is Osgood Perkins’ Longlegs, which has had probably the most placing advert campaigns in a long time. The film, I’m pleased to report, is simply as placing.
I’m glad I didn’t have to jot down this overview throughout the first day and even the primary few days after seeing Longlegs. If I had, I might have possible given the impression I didn’t prefer it, or at the very least that I didn’t assume it was pretty much as good as individuals mentioned. Evaluating any film to Silence of the Lambs is daring to say the least. As a serial killer FBI procedural, Longlegs isn’t notably difficult. Many elements of the investigation are supremely apparent, others fully out of left area. However as a horror film, as an exploration of creeping dread and occult uncanniness, Longlegs burrows below your pores and skin and stays there for weeks.
The essential story follows newly minted Oregon area agent Lee Harker (Maika Monroe) as she makes use of her inexplicable instinct to help Particular Agent Carter (Blair Underwood) in one of many Bureau’s most baffling circumstances. A number of fully unrelated males have killed their complete households and themselves over the previous a number of a long time. No bodily proof suggests every other individual took half. Nevertheless, every crime scene had a letter written in unusual symbols, signed “Longlegs.”
It received’t give something away to say Nicolas Cage performs the titular Longlegs, and his look is so upsetting they received’t present it in adverts. It takes some time for the film to indicate him, too. Whereas we all know this, who precisely Longlegs is, what he does, and the way he does it are the actual mysteries on the movie’s coronary heart. Harker delves deeper into the unusual occult circumstances of those massacres, her personal connections come to the floor because the inevitability of Longlegs’ masterplan begins to take form.
Perkins’ directing model and fervour for gradual and creeping dread in his films pays off large time in Longlegs. Nevertheless, not like a few of his extra languorous outings, right here he punctuates the moody quiet with loud and surprising moments. It always protecting the viewers nervous about what’s going to come subsequent. For the primary two-thirds of the film, I sat fully wrapt in squinting, white-knuckle nervousness about what may lurk within the corners of the marginally fisheyed body. What terror may conceal within the shadow simply behind Harker?
The final third is a unique matter. I liken the expertise of watching Longlegs to watching Hereditary for the primary time. The films are fairly completely different, however each of their climaxes blended terror with puzzlement in me. A number of the plot is so apparent I assume there have to be one thing extra. Different elements are legitimately foolish. A lot in order that when every part falls into place I believed, “Wait, this is what the film’s doing?” In each circumstances my mind bought in the way in which of my physique’s response to what I used to be watching. Elements of Longlegs really feel so at odds with the remainder of it. It incorporates moments of humor I’m not totally certain have been intentional. Folks subsequent to me on the screening laughed uproariously towards the tip. I can’t determine in the event that they have been laughing at or with the film.
Nevertheless, and I hate to advocate for turning off your mind when watching something, Longlegs is a vibes film at the start. It’s not against the law film with horror components, it’s a bizarre horror film with the FBI. Perkins, I feel (I hope) understands what scares us about occultism can be fairly goofy. Because of this I’m pleased I bought to take a seat with the film earlier than scripting this. Initially I used to be ready to say it seems good, that Underwood’s efficiency is large, however that it’s attempting to get by an excessive amount of on Cage’s creepy look and surprisingly mannered efficiency. And now? I simply go “yeah, in fact it does. That’s why it’s superior!”
I feel Longlegs is a legitimately very good instance of a horror film that is aware of what it’s doing, is aware of it’s enjoying in a really tamped-down sandbox, and makes use of that to completely unsettle and have an effect on the viewers. Tight plotting be damned, this film’s bought moxy! The subsequent dozen instances I watch it, I received’t care that the thriller isn’t something particular. It’s bought these performances in that setting with these shocks. What extra may you need?!
Longlegs opens in theaters July 12.
Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly popular culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You’ll find his movie and TV evaluations right here. Comply with him on Instagram and Letterboxd.