‘Longlegs’ Shows What Nicolas Cage Was Always Meant to Do

Nicolas Cage is blowing critics away with Longlegs, one of the most terrifying horror movies to hit theaters in recent memory. The film is part of the critical comeback the actor has made over the past few years. In addition, it makes it clear that he was always meant to do one thing.

Nicolas Cage achieves his destiny as an actor in ‘Longlegs’

Cage has a cult following, partly because he takes on so many different roles. He’s played romantic leads, action heroes, family men, a superhero or two, a treasure hunter, and a businessman convinced he’s a vampire. The other reason numerous people love him is his ability to go so over the top that he’s on a different planet from other actors.

In Longlegs, Cage plays Dave Cobble, a bizarre serial killer with the moniker “Longlegs.” Between the character’s high-pitched voice, ghostly white features, and penchant for worshipping the devil, it’s a flamboyant role, even by Cage’s standards. While watching the film, one realizes that Cage was always meant to play horror movie villains — even if the screenplays for Vampire’s Kiss and Renfield didn’t live up to his talents. He knows how to unnerve audiences with his oddball acting choices and his sense of commitment fits the genre perfectly. If he wanted to be, he could have been his generation’s answer to Bela Lugosi. 

‘Longlegs’ has a wonderfully twisted and twisting story

Of course, Longlegs is far more grotesque than anything Lugosi could have made. While Cage is the film’s most striking presence, its story revolves around Maika Monroe’s Lee Harker, an FBI agent tasked with tracking down Longlegs. What makes Longlegs different from other criminals is that he never seems to be near the people he takes credit for killing. The case appears impossible to solve, and the twists and turns in the storyline work well without feeling rushed or half-baked.

While the script works, director Oz Perkins (son of Psycho star Anthony Perkins) finds the terror in its margins. He shoots the film with claustrophobic camera setups, filling the audience with a sense of paranoia and dread that only grows as the film progresses. His occasional use of intentionally incongruous editing is unsettling without being distracting. Perkins’ previous outing, Gretel & Hansel, was all style and no substance, but here he finds a yarn worthy of his visual prowess.

Nicolas Cage isn’t the real star of the film

The only real problem with Longlegs is its ending. It doesn’t ruin the film by any stretch of the imagination, but it encapsulates much of the abruptness and cynicism of many horror movie endings. Many filmgoers will leave the theater feeling emotionally confused rather than scared. The ending also makes awkward use of music that isn’t interesting or funny enough to feel properly ironic. 

Other than that sequence, Perkins handles the film masterfully. He knows when to show restraint and when to delve into Grand Guignol-style barbarity. Many fans will walk away from Longlegs raving about Cage’s pitch-perfect performance, but the real star of the film is Perkins, a craftsman who understands the art of the nightmare enough to pin down the devil in the details.

While most other horror films fail to leave an impact, Longlegs will stick with you long after the credits roll.