“Longlegs” (2024) Review: Let Me Out Now, and I Mean Now
Leaving the theater after seeing Longlegs is like walking out of a job interview you were unqualified for…
Longlegs (2024) attempts to blend elements of the psychological thriller with a biographical narrative of sorts with Maika Monroe’s lead, Lee Harker, falling flat along the way. Directed by Osgood Perkins, the movie features Nicolas Cage in perhaps the quirkiest role of his career — an overnight viral phenomenon.
Nicolas Cage’s portrayal of Longlegs is one of the few highlights of the film. His ability to bring his Nic Caginess to yet another performance is nuanced and engaging, providing a peek of what could have been with a more developed script. With that said, Cage absolutely rocks it with the screen time he is given.
The pacing of Longlegs is dull and fails to fufill its promise to the audience. The film feels slow. The buildup to the finale is genuinely disturbing, but predictable, and lacks the fear factor expected from a typical indie horror release.
Maika Monroe’s performance is my most substantial gripe with this film. I would liken her presentation to the lesser performances of actors such as Keira Knightly and Mia Wasikowska, both of whom I am fond of, but are known for sometimes leaving more to be desired. Her portrayal of Lee Harker feels stilted and devoid of the emotional depth required to connect with the audience. Count this as another missed opportunity.
The concept of the doll, which is introduced in the film, is an intriguing twist to a Hollywood cliché. Perkins had a chance to add a layer of complexity to the narrative with this concept, but I found the connection to the demonic to be surface level at best.
The film attempts to combine elements of what I would call a Lee Harker biopic with a touch of Christopher Nolan’s Memento. This does not work in its favor. The result is a disjointed narrative that struggles to find its footing, leaving me with a sense of boredom.
I hope that Cage continues to challenge himself with these types of roles. He is truly an actor who knows no bounds. As for Perkins, I am interested to see where he goes from here. There is no doubt that Longlegs is a commercial success. It just isn’t scary.
I encourage you to see Longlegs and let me know what you think below!
