Serial Killer Horror Thriller Getting Rave Reviews On Rotten Tomatoes

The performances in Longlegs have been praised in the early previews, and its leads have been particularly well-received. In his review of SlashFilm, Bill Bria said, “Cage is absolutely on fire here, creating a character who is instantly iconic and genuinely disturbing.” Focusing on the performance of Maika Monroe, Fresh Fiction critic Courtney Howard described her as “…an assured performer, gliding on a razor’s edge of the hallucinogenic scenarios.”

There aren’t enough reviews for Longlegs for Rotten Tomatoes to have a consensus, but the few reviews on the site after its Beyond Fest preview are glowing. The four reviews are all very positive, with some calling it a masterpiece and praising its cinematic beauty. However, the most consistent thread was that each reviewer discussed how scary the movie was, which is great news for fans hoping for a true horror experience. 

ScreenAnarchy critic J. Hurtado was enthralled with Longlegs and gave it a rave review. In praising it as a great horror movie he claims, “This is not just another horror film in a year already stacked with strong releases, Longlegs is the horror film of the year to date.” He also praised the movie as “…a masterpiece; an unholy, horrifying confluence of high art and anxiety, a film in which every frame is a nightmare, and it’s beautiful.”

The early success of Longlegs does help propel the narrative of Nicolas Cage’s resurgence, particularly in the horror genre. While he was a huge draw in the 90s with Face/Off, The Rock, and Con Air, Cage’s career hit a rough patch in the 2000s and early 2010s. But, largely on the back of horror movies like Mandy and Willy’s Wonderland, he seems to have revitalized his reputation as a unique but talented actor. 

While these early reviews for Longlegs are a great sign, it’s important to note that early festival response is often quite different from the response to a broader audience. Reviews from film festivals are often better than broader critical reviews, as the specific tastes of a festival tend to align with the critics who attend those festivals. A more objective consensus will emerge as more reviews are released, and of course, general audiences don’t always see eye to eye with critics. 

Longlegs is a serial killer hunting movie written and directed by Osgood Perkins. It follows an FBI agent as she tries to solve a series of murders committed by a serial killer who leaves notes signed with the film’s title behind. Occult imagery and religious horror elements are present in the trailer, but it’s unclear if there will be a supernatural element.

Longlegs has a phenomenal cast, particularly for fans of the horror genre. With Maika Monroe of It Follows fame as the protagonist and Nicolas Cage as the antagonist, the core dynamic of the movie is in good hands. There are also some notable names in the supporting cast, such as Alicia Witt and Kiernan Shipka, who could help elevate the film with strong performances. 

For horror and thriller fans, Longlegs is a movie to keep an eye on whether or not it keeps its sterling reputation with critics. The reviews from Beyond Fest, a genre-focused event, are a sign that dedicated horror fans should take into account, along with word of mouth and trailer impressions. But whether you’re sold on the movie already or waiting for a broader critical consensus, you’ll have to wait until the movie comes to theaters on July 12, 2004.