Warning: this article contains spoilers for Longlegs!
Longlegshas become the unexpected horror hit of the summer. There is much to appreciate about Oz Perkins' supernatural thriller: it delivers a chilling atmosphere without relying on cheap jump-scares, all the while maintaining excellent camera work and featuring a superb soundtrack.
An unrecognizable Nicolas Cage delivers a suitably unnerving performance as the title character. However, as the film’s second half revealed more about Dale Kobble’s identity, motives, and methods,Longlegs’endinglost its flow. For me, the film’s conclusion didn’t meet the standard established in its fantastic opening.Longlegs’supernatural twistcommittedthe common horror movie sin of falling down in the ending.
All 10 Known Times Longlegs Hides The Devil In The Background
In the horror film Longlegs, director Osgood Perkins hides the devil in over 15 background frames, proving that the devil truly is in the details.
Longlegs’ Final Twist Made The Movie Worse
The Rushed Ruth Harker Reveal Only Adds More Questions
Longlegsis already speeding towards its final act when Agent Lee Harker introduces the possibility that the killer they are pursuing may be working with an accomplice. I initially thought this was a clever red herring. The movie stressed Dale Kobble’s connection to the occult, andthe alleged accomplice seemed to allude to the entity through which Longlegs commits his murders: the supernatural being he refers to as“the man downstairs.”
Perhaps the worst impact ofLonglegscramming so much new material into its third act is that it draws focus away from the central villain.
Instead, the hint paves the way for the film’s big twist: that Lee’s reclusive mother, Ruth, has been working with Longlegs all along. The concept in itself is interesting. However, despite the subtlehint atLonglegs’second villain early in the film, the ultimate flashback reveal feels rushed. Other seemingly relevant details are glossed over. For example, while Longlegs’ other targets are killed by their fathers, Lee’s father is absent.Longlegs’Harker twist and last-minute demon reveal push the main villain into the backgroundwhen he is marketed as the central antagonist.
Longlegs Isn’t The Only Horror To Make This Mistake
Many Excellent Horror Films Have Been Ruined By A Supernatural Reveal
Longlegsfalls into the trap that supernatural horror often finds hard to avoid. There are few horror films that pull off a villain reveal. Often, when the menacing demon is finally shown on screen, the blatant use of make-up and SFX puncture the audience’s suspension of disbelief.Insidious’ comical Lipstick-Face demon is a classic example. Another isSinisterwith its Baghuul reveal. It is notoriously difficult to maintain the audience’s fear once a villain appears on screen becausesupernatural horror’s greatest tool is the terror of the unknown.
The most unsettling horror endings leave questions unanswered.
Otherwise excellent horror films are weakened by narrative surprises.Hereditarydeserves its reputation asone of the best horror films of the 21st century, but its demonic cult reveal arguably cheapened Aster’s artful allegory of grief, motherhood, and mental health. M. Night Shyamalan made a name for himself as the master of the horror twist, but the infamous ending ofThe Villageis a far cry fromThe Sixth Sense. On the other hand,The Blair WitchProjecthaunts viewers long after its credits roll, suggesting that the most unsettling horror endings leave questions unanswered.
Longlegs Should Have Stuck To One Concept
Longlegs’conflicting concepts would have been powerfulif they had been the film’s sole focus.Longlegs’demonic dolls had a surprising real-life inspiration, and provided some cool imagery, but the film spent more time expressing the villain’s affinity for classic rock than this plot-relevant hobby. The plight of a single mother turned to devil worship to save her only daughter could have been a movie in its own right. The supposedly shocking finale that sees Agent Carter’s family become the next target was so obvious, it’s surprising none ofLonglegs’characters saw the ending coming.
Perhaps the worst impact ofLonglegscramming so much new material into its third act is that it draws focus away from the central villain.Nicolas Cage’s performance has been rightly praised:his disturbing yet captivating character is the movie’s greatest asset.Longlegs' occult power and concealed appearance shroud the antagonist in mystery, only for his supernatural identity to be limply debunked. The meaning behind his chilling nickname never reveals itself, and theLonglegsdirector has since explained that the name has no real meaning.
There is much to appreciate about Oz Perkins' supernatural thriller.
Longlegscontinues to garner attention, which is a testament to all the things this experimental horror film does well. Oz Perkins has used all the film-making tools at his disposal to deliver onLonglegs’promise to frighten its audience. The film is rich with symbolism, well-acted, and supported by a haunting soundtrack that could rival any Kubrick score. The movie’s failure is that ittries to do too much while limited by the time constraints of its third act. Unfortunately,Longlegsis yet another horror weakened by a plot twist that it doesn’t manage to pull off.
Longlegs
Cast
Longlegs is a horror thriller film by writer-director Osgood Perkins. When FBI agent Lee Harker is assigned to a serial killer cold case, their investigation leads them down a rabbit hole riddled with disturbing discoveries and the occult at the center of it all. When the trail of evidence reveals a personal connection, it becomes a race against time to prevent another murder.
