Longlegs Is The Best Movie I've Seen So Far This Year, And It's Going To Be Really Hard For Another Movie To Top It

When it comes to the best horror movies ever, there are plenty that come to mind – but should we put Longlegs in that category now? 

As someone who has seen the hype for this movie build up over the last month and a half – thanks to the Longlegs trailer and plenty of other intense social media clips that have captured my interest – I decided to check out Longlegs to see if it was everything critics were saying it was. Is this horror movie from Neon the best horror movie of the year despite there being plenty of upcoming horror movies?

I went on a Thursday night after work at about seven – and the theater was packed. It was the first time in a while I had seen a movie theater so full for a horror movie in years. I knew I was going to be in for a ride. Now, I can thoroughly say that Longlegs isn’t just the best horror movie of the year – it’s more than that, and I’ll get into it below. 

This will be spoiler-free – but if you want to see the movie knowing absolutely nothing about it, now's your chance to turn back. 

First Off, Longlegs IS A Great Horror Movie – And More

Let me begin by saying that Longlegs is a great horror film—but it’s really not just the horror that makes it good. There's so much more going on. 

Most simply – Longlegs is far more than a horror movie, but if you do a horror movie well, that’s what most horror films tend to be. I feel like in today’s day and age, we often recognize horror movies as two different types – either bloody and filled to the brim with guts, or jump-scare mania. That can be fun, but I rarely find films that truly get under your skin like Longlegs does – which means it’s a great story. 

This film doesn’t aim to scare you. It aims to make you feel uneasy the entire time. It has its moments of gore, sure – just like Talk to Me, one of the best 2023 horror films and one of A24’s best horror movies ever – but it never goes overboard. I never thought I’d find myself saying this, but Longlegs masterfully uses blood in a way that I never thought possible, where it feels as if every moment that does have gore isn’t just a part of the scare factor – it means something to the story. 

But the gory scenes are so few and far between that this movie finds a way to make you crave those moments over the suspense – which is what brings me to my next point. 

Longlegs Is A Master Class In Suspense 

If you don’t know the premise of Longlegs, think Silence of the Lambs, but instead of the killer already in jail, he’s still on the run and still killing for a decent amount of the movie. That’s what Longlegs is—it follows a young FBI agent who is tracking down a serial killer who signs off on all his kills with ‘LONGLEGS.’

But the thing with Longlegs is that while that is the main story, it’s told in such a suspenseful way that you know you’re going to be in it for the long haul from the very beginning. The way that the mystery slowly begins to be solved and how Lee (Maika Monroe) tracks down Longlegs makes this intriguing from a crime perspective. 

However, everything else within the background is what makes this good. The long shots focused on Lee for just a little too long, lingering on a particular aspect of her facial features, or maybe the moments we see Longlegs, his terrifying features, and how mentally unhinged he is, just waiting for him to snap. It makes your heart beat faster without so much as a beat change. 

This film is a master class in suspense, and that’s what keeps you on the edge of your seat – you truly never know what the heck is going to happen next.  

The Acting Is Off The Freaking Charts

Some amazing actresses and actors have come from horror movies and become major stars. Jamie Lee Curtis’ best movies include her time in the Halloween franchise. The iconic Shelley Duvall, who recently passed away, had a standout performance in The Shining. 

I have to say that Maika Monroe has joined that club. While Monroe has certainly already established herself as a modern-day scream queen, having appeared in movies like It Follows, Watcher, and many more, this is her best by far. Her performance of Lee Harker, the FBI agent that we follow, is out of this world, and I would not be surprised if she earned tons of awards for it. 

I also have to give props to Alicia Witt, the woman who plays Lee’s mother. I won’t get into her character too much, but let’s just say she gives a mind-blowing performance that is sure to amaze and frighten you. 

But man… Nicolas Cage. Oh, he gets his own section...

Nicolas Cage Gives One Of His Best Performances 

I remember there was a time in my life when it felt like Nicolas Cage took roles in everything. However, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned to appreciate and cherish this actor more than most because he is just so damn good. 

Nicolas Cage’s best movies have included the likes of Moonstruck, Leaving Las Vegas and many more, but I must add Longlegs to that list. He is so freaking creepy, and while I’ve always found Cage to take on enigmatic and mysterious roles, this one was just… so out there and so weird that I found myself unsettled just by looking at him, let alone watching him act. 

This film can put him up there with Anthony Hopkins with Silence of the Lambs. Watching Cage in Longlegs is like watching a legit serial killer, and I don’t know how I feel about that. 

The Cinematography Is The Best I’ve Seen In A Horror Movie Since Midsommar

I have gone on at length about how much I love both Hereditary and Midsommar and how I feel that both of them are some of the best horror movies ever. And I stand by the fact that for a long time, I didn’t think any other horror movie came close when it came to cinematography. 

But Longlegs is really good. Really, freaking good. 

I mentioned this a little above, but some of the shots of this film are so perfectly framed that it pairs with the suspense brilliantly. It’s not just that, though. Parallels are everywhere, and even seeing how certain things pop up in the background that you wouldn’t necessarily know unless you’re paying complete attention – it’s all wonderfully done. 

The primary draw of Longlegs is the suspense, but the camerawork is astounding, too. 

I Think This Should Be Nominated For Best Picture

Yeah, I said it. I really think Longlegs is that fantastic. 

It’s really not that rare to spot a horror movie that deserves a Best Picture nomination – it’s just rare when that actually happens. I think the last time a horror film was nominated for Best Picture was Get Out – and while I do love that movie, it’s time for another horror film to earn that nomination. 

Longlegs should be that. This film has so much more going for it beyond the horror element. It has superb acting, an exciting and creative story, is suspenseful as heck with plenty of scares, and has camerawork that should be studied whenever anyone wants to make a suspenseful film. 

This is Best Picture worthy, and I really hope that the Academy actually takes a hard look at it and, at the very least, gives an acting nomination to Cage or Monroe for their performances because it’s better than most in any films I’ve seen so far this year. 

I do think Longlegs will be successful in the long run, but if you were even debating going to see it this weekend, do it. I promise you won’t be disappointed.