In pursuit of a serial killer, an FBI agent uncovers a series of occult clues that she must solve to end his terrifying killing spree.

I’ve watched a lot of horror movies over the years, but very few that have unsettled me as much as ‘Longlegs’, a movie about a satanic serial killer and the FBI agent obsessed with tracking him down. It is directed by Osgood ‘Oz’ Perkins, who has a familiar sounding surname for horror movie fans, being the son of Anthony Perkins, best known of course for ‘Psycho’. In the case of ‘Longlegs’, I found it quire an unpleasant watch at times, with some graphic violence and sickening crimes being depicted, but it is an undoubtedly effective chiller than weaves its way into your psyche.

The story begins in 1970s Oregon, where a young girl is confronted outside her house by a strange man in white makeup. That is the precursor to the main part of the story, taking place in the 1990s, where a new FBI agent is tasked with investigating a disturbing series of murder-suicides where it appears the father has murdered his family before taking his own life. All incidents have been marked with a cryptic letter/markings being left on the scene, all of which have been signed ‘Longlegs’, indicating that the cases may be linked, however improbable that seems.

The FBI agent, Lee Harker, is played by Maika Monroe, and the mysterious man known as Longlegs is played by Nicolas Cage, in a stage of his career where he appears to be back to delivering high quality performances in better movies. ‘Longlegs’ is like a cross between Pennywise the Clown from ‘It’ and Buffalo Bill from ‘The Silence of the Lambs’, and it is ‘The Silence of the Lambs’ that holds the largest influence in how it pits a young, female FBI agent against a depraved killer. Perkins blends several elements into his story, with aspects of psychological drama and crime procedural mixing with the satanic and supernatural, and it is a concoction that works well for the most part.

I found ‘Longlegs’ too disquieting to truly recommend, but for fans of horror movies who are looking for something a little different, this movie may work very well for you.

Rating: 3/5

Directed By: Osgood Perkins

Starring: Maika Monroe, Nicolas Cage, Blair Underwood, Alicia Witt, Kiernan Shipka, Michelle Choi-Lee and Jason Day

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt23468450/