Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Longlegs
Summary
AlthoughLonglegsdoes reveal the identity of its second villain long before the ending, audiences are likely to be too scared to notice this subtle detail. Director Oz Perkins’2024 serial killer thrillerLonglegsis the chilling story of an FBI agent on the trail of an unusual murderer. WhileLonglegsowes a creative debt toSe7enandThe Silence of the Lambs, Perkins’ uniquely creepy movie has an unsettling atmosphere all of its own. InLonglegs’ ambiguous twist ending, it is clear that the movie’s story has an unexplained supernatural element missing from many more conventional psychological thrillers.
The stellarRotten Tomatoes ratingLonglegsreceivedproves that the movie is more accessible than Perkins’ earlier efforts, but its story and style remain unusually experimental for a major horror hit. The deeply creepy sound design ofLonglegs, its unusual pacing, and the movie’s twist ending all subvert the expectations of audiences expecting a more straightforward thriller. This is perhaps best epitomized by one jump scare that subtly revealsLonglegs’ big twist well before the movie’s ending. Although this spoiler could have ruined the movie’s major surprise, theLonglegsscene is so strange that its revelation is easily missed.
Does Longlegs Have A Post-Credits Scene?
Nicolas Cage and Maika Monroe’s horror movie keeps the mystery until the end. Here’s whether there is a Longlegs post-credits scene explaining more.
Longlegs Confirmed Lee’s Mother Was A Villain With A Blink And You’d Miss It Detail
Lee’s Mother Is Momentarily Superimposed Over Longlegs
It is hard to catch since her face is only glimpsed in a brief flash within a jump scare, butLee’s mother is momentarily superimposed over the face of Longlegswhen Lee finds a photograph of the killer. Lee’s mother convinces her to root through her childhood belongings to make a break in the case and Maika Monroe’s heroine soon discovers that she met Nicolas Cage’s killer years earlier. This was hinted at inLonglegs’ opening scene, where a title card flashes before the villain’s face is revealed in full. After that, Cage’s killer is seen numerous times throughout the movie.
Even thoughLonglegsdoesn’t hide the killer’s face for most of its runtime, the revelation of his appearance is still treated like a jumpscare when Lee uncovers the photo. LikePerkins’ upcoming Stephen King adaptationThe Monkey,Longlegshides this terrifying horror scene within the comforting confines of childhood memories. The revelation that Lee met Longlegs during her youth, along with the jump scare’s accompanying musical sting, is enough to distract viewers from the flash of Lee’s mother. However, this detail still foreshadows the fact that she is later revealed to be Longlegs’ secret accomplice in the movie’s ending.
Longlegs’ Villain Reveal Shot Copies The Exorcist
It Repeats An Old Editing Trick
WhileLonglegs’ clever method of secretly hinting at its big twist early is effective, Perkins is far from the first director to utilize this technique. 1973’s iconic horror classicThe Exorcistfeatured infamous subliminal shots of Captain Howdy, a pale-faced demon, between scenes of domestic drama. These contributed to the movie’s growing sense of unease and dread, subtly signaling that something was very wrong in the MacNeill household.Longlegsachieves the same effect when the movie not only reveals Lee met Longlegs earlier than she thought, but also hides a clue to the second villain in plain sight.
