Breaking Down Exactly How Scary ‘Longlegs’ *Actually* Is

It feels like my existential dread of the state of the world constantly being revved up by constantly concerning political news has my desire to indulge in horror movies really heating up. That and my FYP popping off with ads about this summer’s biggest blockbusters (movies are so back baby) many of which are scary movies. It’s like why be scared about the fact that our country is falling apart when you could be scared by Nicolas Cage pretending to be a serial killer instead? In the movie, Nic Cage plays an elusive serial killer that FBI agent Lee Harker has to track down and pin the murders on despite the man apparently never having been present at any of the crime scenes. Longlegs has been compared to Silence of The Lambs and Hereditary, which are some pretty big shoes to fill in the Horror Hall of Fame. Most of the buzz has come from the brilliant promo for the film including a teaser where NEON brags that actress Maika Monroe (who plays the FBI agent and has previously starred in horror banger It Follows) had her rate jump to a shocking 170 BPM the first time she filmed with Nic Cage in costume as Longlegs. So, is Longlegs actually as scary as the movie and reviews since have promised?

Is Longlegs actually scary?

Longlegs Nic Cage Maika

Image Credit: NEON

Yes — depending on who you ask or what you consider truly scary. Reviewers have said the film is a new horror classic that is as seriously terrifying as the trailer implies. But, that comes with a huge caveat: Longlegs isn’t jampacked with the Jason Voorhees jumpscares of the Friday the 13th franchise or the shocking gore of a slasher film like House of Wax (yes, in this house, the Chad Michael Murray horror vehicle is a noteworthy classic). The thrills in this movie are categorized as eerie, atmospheric, and dripping with unsettling dread in reviews and fan discussions alike. The evil and tension come from Nic Cage and his co-stars’ performances, rather than seeing him actually rip his victims to shreds on camera. So if psychological thrillers about menaces who terrorize everyday people that a movie can manage to convince you might actually be waiting for you in the theatre parking is your type of scary, then consider yourself set. If you’re a horror junkie with an insane threshold for fear, Longlegs is probably something you’ll enjoy for the overall craftsmanship instead of the fright factor.