Longlegs

Osgood Perkins is in complete control of the style, as we learn within the first few minutes, and without a doubt in control of the content, as his satanic-tinged crime horror works very well, is suspenseful, surprising, and is already one of the genre events of the year. I was almost taken aback by how it really grabbed me. Nicolas Cage and his creations are once again the stuff of legends. It's also quite funny that Perkins is able to use in such a focused film the properties that we would attribute more to James Wan (a demonic doll, a character with glowing eyes under a black veil, houses with many dark corners, a recurring pop song), but uses them in a completely measured, non-shallow and clever way (which is also why his next film will be produced by who else but James Wan). A great surprise, a quality horror film, and definitely an achievement worthy of a visit to the cinema. (08/20/2024)

Hail Satan! Osgood Perkins delivers a gripping experience for those willing to step out of their comfort zone and dive into 101 minutes of devilish unease and despair. If Longlegs excels at anything, it’s the menacing and depressively suffocating atmosphere that grips you from the first shot and doesn’t let go until the credits roll. The film doesn’t offer a single scene that eases its tension – you might chuckle at a few of Nicolas Cage’s phenomenal moments, but it never undermines the film's oppressive tone. Perkins cements his place among the most intriguing genre filmmakers of today, with his masterful handling of atmosphere and mise-en-scène standing out in a crowded field. Kudos to Neon for their brilliant marketing campaign that smartly made Longlegs the horror event of the year. While some might feel let down by the hype, I approached it with caution and ended up very satisfied with what was delivered on the big screen. (08/06/2024)

An atmospheric delight. The pacing is murderously slow, but it’s perfect for the bleak story; the vast majority of the film takes place at night, or in the darkness of houses, or - as in, say, The Silence of the Lambs - in the brisk autumn weather with overcast skies. Osgood Perkins works with the picture format in interesting ways and varies it, and it's all complemented wonderfully by the ominous music and shiver-inducing sound design. Admittedly, for the less knowledgeable, it would be a mistake to go into this as a "Nicolas Cage movie", he's only here for about five minutes in total, but his creation is still memorable and wrung to the marrow. Towards the end it was a little too contrived for me, but you can forgive such nits in a film when you're having such a great time. The fact that the main character is a woman then adds an extra layer of tension because you do worry about her. Perkins is a talent, his dad starred in one of the greatest thrillers of all time, and he makes great thrillers, so the cycle has come full circle. I'll continue to watch him, he’s one smart kid. (08/21/2024)