Longlegs
A (Re-)Examination of Osgood Perkins’ Hit of 2024
Directed by Osgood Perkins
Starring: Maika Monroe and Nicholas Cage
Osgood Perkins made a name for himself in 2024 with his investigative psychological horror film, Longlegs, and aims to expand his reputation with his new film, The Monkey, set to release on February 21, 2025.
Longlegs became one of the year’s most talked-about films, thanks in large part to its innovative marketing campaign. This buzz helped the film, made on a modest budget of under $10 million, gross over $126 million worldwide.
The movie follows Detective Lee Harker (Maika Monroe) as she spirals deeper into a case involving a cryptic serial killer, uncovering layers of trauma from her past along the way. Nicolas Cage delivers a terrifyingly committed performance as the film’s titular villain, Longlegs, with his presence cementing the film’s unsettling core.
Perkins uses a drab, muted visual palette to reflect the film’s themes of deception, trauma, maternal bonds, and parent-child relationships. The supporting cast, including Alicia Witt as Lee’s mother, Ruth, and Blair Underwood as Agent Carter, bring performances that amplify the surrounding anguish.
Along with its eerie lighting, Longlegs incorporates surreal, dreamlike imagery and transitions, favoring visual dread over conventional jump scares. Even in its brightest scenes, the film maintains a sense of ominous unease, sustaining the pervasive atmospheric tension. For example, countless conditions entailing dark lighting, overcast and forbidding environments, blocking between characters, and the employment of space in its mise-en-scène.
While Longlegs sparked debate regarding its horror credentials, its captivating marketing, mesmerizing imagery, and standout performances from Monroe and Cage established it as an instant cult classic.
The Monkey
Directed by: Osgood Perkins
Starring: Theo James and Tatiana Maslany
Perkins’ latest film, The Monkey, adapted from Stephen King’s short story of the same name, presents a twisted, suspenseful narrative driven by life’s chaotic unpredictability and the haunting presence of a sinister toy monkey. The film’s chaotic violence unfolds with a playful, satirical spontaneity, challenging the notion of benevolence and examining how life’s seemingly random cruelties shape our understanding of the world.
In The Monkey, Theo James delivers a top-tier performance as twins Hal and Bill, supported by Tatiana Maslany as their mother, Lois. Perkins revisits familiar themes of trauma and parent-child relationships while expanding his focus to explore death, malevolence, and the innocence lost when an arbitrary force of evil upends one’s life.
The film distinguishes itself from Perkins’ previous work through sharper comedic beats, nostalgic yet playful color grading, and a chilling antagonist in the form of the black-eyed, wide-grinned, drum-playing monkey.
Whereas Longlegs slowly builds its suspense through methodical pacing, The Monkey accelerates that tension. It hurtles audiences into unhinged, surreal scenarios that prompt introspection about the randomness of death and the fragility of control.
Overall, Perkins delivers a bold, bloody, and mischievous vision with The Monkey. It pairs psychological dread with visceral thrills, offering a horror experience that resonates long after the cymbals (or in this case, the drums) stop clashing.