Parents' Guide to Longlegs

A cat-and-mouse thriller in the grand tradition of great serial killer movies, this one uses familiar elements but ramps them up to nightmarish levels with its stark angles and chilling rhythms. Written and directed by Osgood "Oz" Perkins—the son of Psycho star Anthony Perkins—Longlegs goes a long way toward proving his status as a top horror filmmaker. It begins with what looks like old 8mm home movie footage, with just a suggestion of what's to come. (Cage appears only from the mouth downward, and his sudden shriek is truly disquieting.) Then the frame stretches out to wide, making nerve-rattling use of its choice of composition, sound, and cutting. It's so expertly crafted that standard jump scares play more like genuine shocks.

The puzzle is crafty and clever, keeping viewers riveted, although—unlike its spiritual inspirations The Silence of the Lambs, Seven, and Zodiac—Longlegs also flirts with the supernatural, which sometimes works and sometimes feels like a shortcut. The performances are solid, especially a heavily made-up Cage as an even more over-the-top character than we could have possibly imagined. Monroe also delivers, although her character, by design, comes across as a bit chilly, which gives the movie a distancing quality. But the end result is still brutally effective, effortlessly worming its way into the part of your brain where the dark things live.