Blu-ray Review: LONGLEGS (2024)

Osgood Perkins was introduced to horror audiences as a young Normal Bates in Psycho II when his older counterpart played by his father, Anthony Perkins, peered through a keyhole to his traumatic upbringing. Over the years that followed he’s made numerous appearances in film and television titles such as Legally Blonde and Alias, before establishing himself a horror director in 2015 with The Blackcoat’s Daughter.

Perkins’ latest title and this year’s horror sensation, Longlegs is a Silence of the Lambs-esque thriller that leans into the occult with a young FBI agent in pursuit of a brutal killer – and it’s arrived on Blu-ray for the spooky season thanks to Roadshow Entertainment.

We seem to have an unnatural obsession with serial killers, who are ‘all the rage’ now more than ever before. Perhaps this fascination is a way for us to explore the darkest recesses of the human psyche at a safe distance. Longlegs, however, feels very intimate despite there being little known about our deranged titular killer, played by Nicolas Cage. There’s a theme of childhood trauma, the weight of which rests heavily on the shoulder of our protagonist, Lee, based on a past encounter with a bizarre stranger. She seems to have an unspoken connection to a dark force that’s watching over her.

Longlegs maintains a very foreboding tone with a precise ambiance of low light and a muted colours pallet and despite some of the cinematography coming across as a bit pretentious, the film rarely allows you to feel at ease at any point.

Perkins has cleverly gone with three guaranteed ingredients for horror success; serial killers, satanism and Nicolas Cage, subsequently baking them in the oven that is trendy independent cinema. Cage is doing his usual “unhinged” schtick, and while his appearance is certainty disturbing, I honestly thought this was going to be a more subdued performance based on initial critic response to the film.

Maika Monroe carries the film well as the young FBI agent, who often appears nervous and tightly wound, but is clearly an intelligent investigator and capable of confronting the madness that awaits her. However, the film’s most overlooked performance belongs to Alicia Witt, who plays Lee’s reclusive mother, Ruth. If she looks familiar, then you probably recognise her as Paul Atreides’ adorable yet off-putting little sister in David Lynch’s Dune, or Urban Legends if you’re more of a horror fan. Witt’s an underrated actress for sure and it’s great to see her in a prominent supporting role. She’s perfectly in tune with the film’s energy and her character

SPECIAL FEATURES

· Directors Commentary with Osgood Perkins

· On-Set interviews with Maika Monroe, Blair Underwood, Alicia Witt & Osgood Perkins

· Cipher #1

· Cipher #2

· Cipher #3

· Meeting Longlegs

A director’s commentary has never been more essential nor wanted than with Longlegs, and thankfully this Blu-ray release comes with one from the director himself, Osgood Perkins. As Perkins flies solo on the track, it’s a bit sleepy to listen to, but great to have on in the background while working. Those who want additional insight on the film without having to sit through an entire commentary will enjoy the four interviews with three of our leads plus Osgood. Each interview runs a little under five minutes and can be played separately; subjects talk about a range of similar topics like their experiences with co-workers and the film’s possible impact on the genre. – by Hannah Lynch

VIDEO AND AUDIO

Modern horror movies are often accused of being shot too darkly, and while Longlegs makes use of manual light in many scenes, those that do take place at night are adequately visible for the viewer. Any struggle to make out an ominous object in the background is intentional by Perkins. In terms of overall quality, there’s really nothing to criticize the 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio adds a lot of the film’s jarring effect and is completely immersive. Presented in 2.4:1, the disc is Region B locked, and English subtitles are included.

Longlegs may be a little perplexing story wise, but as horror film it ticks just about every box for modern audiences who crave both the psychological and visual approach. It’s like wading into an abandoned building, where your instinct tells you leave, but something unexplainable demands that you stay.

LONGLEGS is also available on DVD and 4K Ultra HD from Roadshow Entertainment. Many thanks to the team at Roadshow and Rialto Distribution for arranging a copy for the purchase of this review.

LONGLEGS (2024, director: Osgood Perkins)