My quick rating - 6.5/10. The good news for myself is I went in without dealing with the marketing onslaught that apparently the USA had for this flick so I more or less went in blind. This movie takes us on a dark journey through the lens of rookie FBI Agent Lee Harker (Maika Monroe), who’s assigned to track down a twisted serial killer with ties to occult practices. As Harker delves deeper, she finds herself caught in an unexpected personal connection to the killer. Osgood Perkins, as writer and director, brings a haunting vision to the screen with atmospheric cinematography and a chilling performance from Nicolas Cage as the eerie, enigmatic Longlegs. I read some people called Cage unrecognizable in this flick, I had no problem picking him out in a heartbeat without knowing firsthand he was in it. I agree the makeup hides his appearance but his acting and voice are a dead giveaway. While the film nails the unsettling, indie aesthetic and teases a tantalizing twist worthy of #Shocktober, it unfortunately stops short of delivering the gut-punch tension it sets up. It doesn't lean fully into either the supernatural or the raw intensity of serial killer horror, which leaves it somewhat diluted in both departments. The kills themselves, while appropriately dark in implication, are tame in execution, and there’s a surprising lack of urgency driving the story, making it feel more like a slow-burn mystery than the nail-biting thriller it aspires to be. The flick still remains an interesting watch, especially for fans of psychological horror and Cage’s unique brand of creepiness, but it ultimately falls short of its full potential. The haunting visuals and promising setup are there, but it may leave you wanting a bit more intensity and impact by the end. That was my opinion since as entertaining as it was, I really wanted more out of it.
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