Movies News Talk
Setting new benchmarks for its director, Osgood Perkins, the horror movie Longlegs has had a major influence on the film industry The film starring Nicolas Cage and Maika Monroe has had both critical and audience success, which will help the writer-director—who has past mixed results for his other movies—have a breakthrough. Longlegs has broken a nine-year run of negative Rotten Tomatoes audience ratings for Perkins, so providing a fresh chapter in his career and proving his capacity to create a mainstream horror hit.
Longlegs has received the best critical praise among Perkins' filmography, surpassing even his debut film, The Blackcoat's Daughter, which attracted a fair 75% from critics with an amazing 86% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. This great reception captures Perkins' change in narrative technique, which veers toward a more approachable and interesting story than in his past works. Perkins's atmospheric horror films have their own special attraction, but their limited appeal and lower audience ratings show that they have not always connected with the mainstream audience.
Longlegs differs from Perkins' past films not only in terms of critical praise but also in audience reaction. On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie earned a 65% audience rating—a noteworthy achievement given the inclination of the platform toward conventional, straightforward films. Perkins's earlier works, especially those with a more experimental, avant-garde aesthetic like I Am The Pretty Thing That Lives in the House and Gretel and Hansel, received much lower audience ratings, suggesting a lack of interaction with the more unusual storytelling techniques. With its simpler plot, quick pace, and more approachable narrative elements appealing to a larger audience, Longlegs' success shows Perkins's ability to close the distance between artistic vision and audience appeal.
Though naturally strange, longlegs presents a more traditional approach than Perkins' earlier creations. Though some critics point out as a lost chance for a more surreal experience, this change in narrative structure and style has surely connected with viewers. Unlike Perkins' past films, the film's gripping story, interesting tempo, and well crafted mysteries have drawn in a larger audience. Longlegs highlight Perkins' adaptability and possibility for success in a larger cinematic scene, so attesting to his ability to negotiate both the unusual and the mainstream.
Longlegs has had amazing box office success with its superb central performances by Nicolas Cage and Maika Monroe and a gripping story that keeps viewers on the tip of their seats. Published in 2024, it has exceeded expectations by attracting viewers and making over $30 million in its first week despite summer blockbusters' rivalry. The remarkable opening weekend figures of the movie show its general appeal and highlight Perkins's newly acquired ability to produce a commercially successful film appealing to a varied audience.
Longlegs marks Osgood Perkins' major turning point. The success of the film marks a new phase in his filmmaking career as it breaks a nine-year run of negative Rotten Tomatoes audience ratings. Both commercially and creatively, the reception of the movie emphasizes Perkins' flexibility and his ability to create interesting stories appealing to a larger audience. Longlegs' success opens Perkins's path to investigate other directions in horror filmmaking, highlighting his ability to produce mainstream hits while keeping his signature approach.