Longlegs (2024) Review
Panel’s Chamber of Chills #8
Somehow I’m already reviewing another Osgood Perkins movie in my first eight reviews. Either that’s a sign he’s on fire right now or I just need more streaming services.
Longlegs was a surprise hit in 2024, pulling in about $128 million on a $10 million budget. I love seeing a low-budget horror flick crush it. The movie stars Maika Monroe and Nicolas Cage and comes from Neon, a studio that’s been killing it lately with stylish, small-budget horror (Anora, The Monkey — also by Perkins). It’s good to see both Neon and Blumhouse leaning into these types of films again. For a while, it felt like real, grounded horror disappeared.
Behind the Camera
Osgood Perkins — yes, the son of horror legend Anthony Perkins (aka Norman Bates) wrote and directed this one. If you read my review of The Monkey, you already know Perkins has serious respect for the genre. Longlegs feels like a mix of Silence of the Lambs and The X-Files. It’s not copying them, just vibing in that space. The story’s set in the ’90s and follows a female FBI agent who could easily fit next to Clarice Starling or Dana Scully.
Visually, it’s not a “fun” film. Everything’s washed-out greys and muted tones, but that totally works for the mood and time period. Perkins keeps everything eerie, quiet, and unsettling.
The Story
Perkins also wrote the script, and I give him credit for building on familiar ideas without making it feel like a retread. At its core, it’s a detective story ( a hunt for a serial killer), but there’s a psychic element and some unexpected personal twists that elevate it.
The pacing isn’t breakneck, and yeah, there are a few slow patches. But those slower moments feel earned, like breathing space before the next creepy sequence. Perkins knows how to keep tension simmering.
The Cast
The cast here really makes the movie.
Maika Monroe plays FBI agent Lee Harker and she absolutely owns it. She’s subtle but powerful, with this quiet intensity that carries the whole thing. Over the last decade, she’s gone from It Follows to Watcher to this and honestly, she’s become this generation’s scream queen.
Then there’s Nicolas Cage as the satanic serial killer Longlegs. He’s manic, creepy, and unforgettable. It’s everything you expect (and want) from Cage in a horror movie. It’s also nice seeing him deep in his horror-renaissance era again.
The supporting cast is solid too. Blair Underwood does good work, and Alicia Witt is great in a smaller role. It almost feels like she’s passing the torch to Monroe, which is fitting since both have carved out their own space as horror icons.
Final Thoughts
Longlegs (2024) just flat-out works. It’s stylish, scary, smart, and built by people who clearly love horror. Perkins is proving himself as one of the most interesting directors in the genre right now. Monroe cements her status as the queen of modern horror, and Cage brings that chaotic energy nobody else can.
If you like slow-burn, atmospheric thrillers with a touch of the occult, this is your movie. It’s not perfect, but it’s the kind of film that sticks with you after the credits roll.
Final Verdict: 4 out of 5 tombstones.
What more from Brice B. Check out his reviews at Chamber of Chills
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