Longlegs (2024) Review: Occult Dread Meets FBI Procedural Crime

Greetings, fiends of the night! Pull up a slab in the morgue and let us talk about a cinematic slice of dark occult madness. Osgood Perkins’ 2024 release, Longlegs, throws us headfirst into a murky swamp where cold federal investigations collide with unholy blood magic.

Short summary (non-spoiler)

Fresh FBI recruit Lee Harker finds herself thrown into a bizarre cold case centered on a cryptic, elusive killer who leaves behind a trail of dead families. The routine manhunt quickly spirals out of control as dark evidence points toward occult influence.

As Harker deciphers sinister codes and piecemeal evidence, she uncovers a disturbing connection between her own past and the mysterious murderer. She finds herself trapped in a frantic race against time, trying to crack the case before another innocent household falls victim to brutal slaughter.

Plot synopsis

Spoilers

The story begins with rookie FBI Agent Lee Harker joining a specialized unit tracking a long-active serial killer known only as Longlegs. Possessing an uncanny, almost supernatural intuition, Harker is assigned directly to the cold case files by her superiors after demonstrating an ability to sense hidden details at crime scenes.

Standard police work offers few answers. Longlegs leaves behind strange ciphered letters at every bloody crime scene, binding his victims in bizarre, self-contained family massacres without ever physically committing the violence himself. The investigation reveals that dark, occult forces drive these events, shifting the case from traditional homicide to spiritual terror.

Harker’s deep dive into the cryptograms leads to a sickening revelation: she possesses a direct personal history with Longlegs that stretches back to her childhood. Her own mother, Ruth Harker, sits at the terrifying center of this web. As the killer prepares his next strike against an unsuspecting family, Harker must decipher the final occult clues, confront her repressed memory, and stop the bloody ritual before another household is annihilated.

Cast & key crew

Director Osgood Perkins guides the picture with a steady, eerie hand, leaning into atmospheric dread and unsettling stillness. Leading the charge is Maika Monroe as FBI Agent Lee Harker, channeling a quiet, trembling intensity that grounds the procedural nightmare.

Nicolas Cage takes on the terrifying title role of Longlegs, delivering an erratic, skin-crawling performance. Cage also steps up behind the scenes as a primary producer alongside Chris Ferguson, Dan Kagan, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, and Dave Caplan.

The supporting ensemble provides key counterweights to the unraveling investigation. Blair Underwood plays Agent Carter, Harker’s stoic senior officer, while Alicia Witt portrays Ruth Harker, Lee’s recluse mother. Michelle Choi-Lee appears as Agent Browning, Dakota Daulby plays Agent Fisk, Lauren Acala steps in as Young Lee Harker, and Kiernan Shipka takes on the role of Carrie Anne Camera.

Production & trivia

The behind-the-scenes mechanics reflect a focused creative coalition. Nicolas Cage, wearing dual hats as lead antagonist and producer, guaranteed that his unhinged performance was backed by personal creative control. Alongside producers Chris Ferguson, Dan Kagan, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, and Dave Caplan, the team crafted a tightly controlled narrative registered under TMDB ID 1226578 and IMDb ID tt23468450.

Rather than leaning on high-octane action, the production relies on a three-way genre hybrid: Crime, Horror, and Mystery. This structural blend forces the camera to linger on grimy floorboards, blood-stained documents, and cold interrogation lights, giving the practical gore and occult symbols a stark, uncomfortable weight.

Analysis

Blending police procedurals with pure horror is a tricky tightrope walk. Strike the wrong chord, and the investigative details kill the scary mood; go too far into shock gore, and the mystery loses its logical weight. Perkins succeeds by keeping the camera uncomfortably still, forcing viewers to stare down long, empty hallways where bad things lurk in the shadows.

Maika Monroe gives Lee Harker a twitchy, hyper-vigilant energy. She does not play the classic fearless hero. Instead, she moves like a person constantly waiting for a heavy hammer to fall on her skull. Her body language screams exhaustion, making her intuitive leaps feel less like a superpower and more like a curse forced upon her brain.

Nicolas Cage approaches Longlegs with theatrical, screeching madness. Wrapped in pale makeup, distorted features, and high-pitched vocal rants, his character feels less like a human serial killer and more like a diseased phantom. The contrast between Monroe’s hushed, frozen posture and Cage’s wild, explosive physical antics creates genuine tension whenever the narrative draws them closer.

The visceral horror shines through the deliberate handling of practical violence and morbid set pieces. We see the gruesome aftermath of domestic slaughter—dried blood splattered across family furniture, stark crime scene photos, and dark, archaic symbols painted in dark stains. The violence feels heavy, greasy, and wrong, avoiding polished digital trickery in favor of gut-churning, practical dread.

Notable scenes & narrative peaks

The central thrill of the narrative relies on the slow accumulation of sinister evidence. The early scene where Agent Harker first encounters the coded Longlegs ciphers establishes a skin-crawling pace. Watching a room full of federal agents fail to decipher what is plainly an unholy invitation sets up an oppressive atmosphere early on.

Another major narrative peak occurs during the harrowing discovery of Harker’s personal link to the killer. The realization that her childhood memories are tangled in the killer’s ritualistic web turns the procedural investigation into a deeply personal nightmare. The climax races against a ticking clock, forcing Harker to confront the monstrous truth before another household falls prey to sudden, bloody destruction.

Reception & score breakdown

Critical response and general audience reactions reveal a fascinating divide. On Metacritic, the film earned a Metascore of 77, signifying strong praise from professional reviewers who praised its lingering atmosphere, bleak tone, and strong performances from Monroe and Cage.

Audience ratings on IMDb settled at a 6.5 out of 10. This lower score reflects a classic horror split. Mainstream moviegoers looking for relentless jump scares or quick slasher kills often bounce off slow-burning, mood-heavy occult mysteries. However, horror diehards who enjoy grimy, disturbing atmosphere will find plenty to digest in this dark tale.

Conclusion

Osgood Perkins delivers a dark, unsettling nightmare that marries cold FBI procedure with rotting occult terror. Powered by Maika Monroe’s twitchy performance and Nicolas Cage’s ghastly presence, this grim mystery burrows under the skin and stays there. Final verdict: a sinister, blood-chilled crime horror piece that rewards fans of deep, oppressive dread.

Where to Buy & Stream

Sources

• The Movie Database (TMDB)
• IMDb