Nicolas Cage horror movie ‘Longlegs’ gets rave reactions following surprise screening

1 June, 2024

Nicolas Cage 'Longlegs' surprise screening Beyond Fest 2024

An upcoming Nicolas Cage-starring horror film, Longlegs, was recently given a surprise screening that received rave reactions from critics and attendees.

Yesterday (May 31), as part of the Los Angeles film festival Beyond Fest, audiences were in attendance at the Aero Theatre for a secret screening advertised to start at 7:30pm. In the theatre hall, the logo of upcoming musical film Wicked appeared on the screen, which led them to believe that that was the film set to screen.

However, it turned out to be a prank by the festival, who revealed that the film coming up was actually Longlegs, to which walked out its writer and director Oz Perkins, who appeared in a Mr Bungle t-shirt. He gave an introduction to the film before welcoming its star Nicolas Cage.

Cage said about the film: “People would ask me, ‘How could you not put your face on the [Longlegs] poster or trailer?’ Well I said Longlegs – the being… the monster – is a highly devious subject.” Longlegs is set for wide release in the US on July 12.

The Dream Scenario actor added that his character, a serial killer, sees him “channelling” his real-life mother. “Sorry mom,” he says, to laughter from the audience.

Social media reactions from critics in attendance have been effusive, calling it “the most disturbing film of the year” and “100 hundred minutes of unrelenting, intense, and overwhelming dread.”

One attendee noted that the film “was so insane” that a woman behind them started crying midway into the screening.

A writer who saw Longlegs at an earlier screening praised Nicolas Cage’s performance as “nightmarish” and claims the film features “the scariest first 10 mins, ever”.

Longlegs follows an FBI agent played by Maika Monroe (It Follows, Greta) who is tasked with tracking down a serial killer. Her investigation heads down a path that leads to the occult, and she must work against the clock to stop the killer from targeting his next victims.

The forthcoming release of this film will precede another Cage horror film: The Carpenter’s Son, which will see Cage star alongside FKA Twigs in a tale centred around the childhood of Jesus Christ.

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