Parents' Guide to

Longlegs

Movie R 2024 101 minutes
Longlegs Movie Poster: Facing sideways, Lee Harker clasps a hand over her mouth and clutches her gun with the other hand

Common Sense Media Review

Jeffrey M. Anderson By Jeffrey M. Anderson , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 16+

Gore and shock in brutally effective serial killer movie.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 16+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 15+

Based on 7 parent reviews

age 13+

age 15+

LONGLEGS

LONGLEGS is a psychological serial killer horror movie. Many scenes include: fighting, shooting, a gory suicide, and more. There is barely any romance and there is no drug use. This movie is okay for ages 15 & up.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (7 ):
Kids say (12 ):

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 ZodiacLonglegs 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.

Movie Details

  • In theaters: July 12, 2024
  • On DVD or streaming: August 23, 2024
  • Cast: Maika Monroe , Blair Underwood , Nicolas Cage
  • Director: Oz Perkins
  • Inclusion Information: Female actors, Black actors
  • Studio: Neon
  • Genre: Horror
  • Run time: 101 minutes
  • MPAA rating: R
  • MPAA explanation: bloody violence, disturbing images and some language
  • Last updated: September 1, 2024

Inclusion information powered by

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate