‘Longlegs’ is a taught, tense, superbly acted thriller

Film review: Longlegs (15) - seen at The Light Cinema, Wisbech

Starring: Maika Monroe, Nicolas Cage and Blair Underwood

Director: Oz Perkins Run time: One hour, 41 minutes

This serial killer horror has been favourably compared to the classic 1991 movie The Silence of the Lambs - and the similarities cannot be ignored.

Young FBI agent Lee Harker (Monroe), who is investigating the case, is dogged, socially awkward and brilliant, just like Jodie Foster’s Clarice Starling in the Jonathan Demme-directed movie.

And the serial killer Longlegs (Cage) is every bit as disarming and creepy as Ted Levine’s Jame ‘Buffalo Bill’ Gumb.

But this is not a copycat effort three decades later. It’s a taught, tense, superbly acted thriller which keeps the viewer in enthralled suspense throughout its duration.

Monroe is superb as the reserved Agent Harker, whose placement by her boss Agent Carter to investigate a cold case file of families being slain seems to awaken the serial killer to commit more horrific murders.

As the brilliant young detective uncovers a series of occult clues that lead her to the murderer, dark and historical links between the two become apparent.

Cage, with full-on prosthetics, is at his terrifying best as the deranged Longlegs and the meeting of the two in an FBI interview room is one of the movie’s highlights.

The final third of the film isn’t as tight as the first hour or so and one clue as to which family is next hits you with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer, but the way that finale is acted out is a big surprise which more than makes up for it.

The resurgence of Cage as a truly brilliant actor, following The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent and Dream Scenario, continues, and Monroe’s ascent into greatness shows no stopping either.

Rating: 8/10

By Jeremy Ransome