Most of the time, when a horror movie is teased as being the scariest movie ever made, it just means that it will give you a couple of cheap scares and, if you’re lucky, a nightmare or two. And there is nothing wrong with that! But thanks to the mysterious marketing, bloody images and the enigmatic Nic Cage, Longlegs actually might be too scary for some.
Directed by Osgood Perkins, son of Anthony Perkins, Longlegs is a particularly dark horror film that just might end up being Neon’s most successful theatrical opening. Taking place in the ’90s, Cage plays the titular serial killer with Satanic ties who is being hunted by Lee, portrayed by Maika Monroe. While it’s normal for hype to be overplayed, this movie seems to be actually scary.
The movie is rated R (please do not bring your children) and leans more into the creepy factor than jump scares. But that doesn’t mean you’re safe from nightmares.
In his Radio Times review for the film, Patrick Cremona says that it’s more about the feeling you have after seeing the movie than the movie itself. “It all adds up to ensure that Longlegs really is one of the finest – and scariest – horror films of recent years. Just don’t go in expecting a mainstream movie packed with a series of jump scares – instead embrace the creepy, slow-burning atmosphere that Perkins has crafted. And maybe sleep with the lights on for a couple of weeks afterwards.”
So, even though it’s pretty scary, it’s still worth it! Peter Debruge of Variety says that the movie might not be as scary as you think, but it will sit with you, which is sometimes worse. “In the moment, it’s considerably less scary than the ecstatic early buzz — ginned up by Neon via whisper campaigns and strategic advance screenings — would have you believe,” he began. “Less than 12 hours after seeing it, however, the demented Nicolas Cage character resurfaced in my nightmares, popping up out of nowhere to screech, ‘Hail Satan!’ in that unnerving, high-pitched voice of his. How many horror movies can claim to hijack your subconscious?”
If you’d rather wait to be scared in the comfort of your own home, the film will eventually be streaming on Hulu later this year. But by then who knows where Longlegs will be by then! He might have other people to kill. You might as well go see it now.
