Longlegsbecame one of the most talked about horror movies of the year, leading to many fans seeking out other movies with a similar vibe. Starring Maika Monroe and Nicolas Cage, the movie is a gripping story of an FBI agent on the trail of a serial killer only to discover some unsettling occult clues as she digs deeper into the case. From the intrigue over Cage’s mysterious role in the movie to the talk of the shocking moments,Longlegsbecame a subject of fascination for audiences.
Something the movie does so effectively it combines the elements of the crime and horror genres. From Monroe’s grounded hero digging into a case to the terror and mystery surroundingNicolas Cage’s character, these elements combine wonderfully, feeling unique but also bringing to wind other movies to pull off the approach as well. Horror-crime films are in a subgenre that isn’t talked about enough, and there are plenty of films released in the past that will surely scratch the same itch asLonglegs.
Longlegsis a grim and violent exploration of this investigation with Lee getting dragged deeper into the case to the point that it is hard to pull herself out. It mirrors the protagonist in the thrillerTaking Livesas well with Angelina Jolie playingFBI agent Illena Scott, who comes to Montreal to help track down a serial killer who is known for killing people and taking on their identities.
Jolie, like Maika Monroe inLonglegs, pulls off the performance of a strong female hero who can be vulnerable at the same time.
The intriguing setup for a serial killer begins the story which becomes a complex thriller about Scott becoming entangled with the lead witness in this case (Ethan Hawke). The two actors make this dangerous relationship work well as the movie builds to its intense and gripping conclusion. Jolie, like Maika Monroe inLonglegs, pulls off the performance of a strong female hero who can be vulnerable at the same time.
Wind River (2017)
Cast
Set on a remote Native American reservation, Wind River follows Cory Lambert, a wildlife tracker, as he teams up with FBI agent Jane Banner to solve the murder of a young woman. With the community’s cooperation elusive, they confront the harsh environment and buried secrets.
The atmosphere ofLonglegsis part of the reason it is such an effective movie. There is a foreboding sense of danger that gives Lee an isolated feeling, as if she is left to fend for herself while surrounded by danger. That feeling of isolation is also present in the excellent crime thrillerWind River. Marking the directorial debut ofYellowstonemastermind Taylor Sheridan,Wind RiverstarsJeremy Renner as a hunter on a Wyoming Native American reservation who joins a young FBI agent (Elizabeth Olsen) in an investigation into a young woman’s murder.
Olsen’s character of Jane Banner feels similar to that of Lee Harker inLonglegs. They are both capable agents but are thrown into a situation they are not fully prepared for. While less of a horror movie thanLonglegs, Wind Riverinspires true fear with its bleak frozen landscape and a few standout sequences.
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Based on the award-winning novel by Stieg Larsson, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo follows journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) as he searches for a woman who has been missing for 40 years. Along the way, he makes an unexpected ally in Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara), who is a computer hacker and survivor of a traumatic childhood. The film is directed by David Fincher and won an Oscar in 2012 for Best Achievement in Film Editing.
WhileLonglegsdelights in playing with the audience’s mind as to what is real and what is otherworldly in its story, David Fincher’s adaptation ofThe Girl with the Dragon Tattoofeels like it is supernatural in how graphic and disturbing its exploration of the evils of humanity is. The movie stars Daniel Craig asan embattled journalist who is hired by a wealthy patriarch to investigate the disappearance of his grandniecedecades ago.
The character of Lisbeth Salander, played by Rooney Mara in an Oscar-nominated role, is the standout of the film and feels like the connection toLonglegs' heightened reality. Both movies are deep dives into truly dark worlds in which the audience is forced to confront some brutal and shocking aspects of society. They are bleak thrillers that are nonetheless gripping from beginning to end.
The Wicker Man
The Wicker Man is a horror film released in 1973 and follows Police Sergeant Neil Howie, who heads to an island on the coast of Scottland in search of a missing girl. Howie discovers that the disappearance is related to a pagan society that conflicts with his Christian values - but his continued search leads him to the heart of something sinister.
Longlegsis one of those crime thrillers that sets up a typical serial story with the gradual hint that there is something more going on. The occult elements of the movie are mixed with the elements that show the dark sides of human nature. That is also explored in the wonderful cult horror flickThe Wicker Man. WhileLonglegsstars Nicolas Cage appeared in a rather infamous remake, the original version is the one worth seeking out.
The movie followsa Scotland Yard investigator who travels to a secluded island that is home to a community of people living as an eccentric cult in order to investigate the disappearance of a young girl. While a few suspects emerge, the investigator gradually comes to suspect the entire community might be complicit in the disappearance linked to their own religious beliefs. LikeLonglegs,The Wicker Manis a dark descent into a nightmarish world with one of thebest twist endings in horror history.
Frailty
Frailty is a psychological horror film directed by and starring Bill Paxton. Released in 2002, the film follows FBI agent Wesley Doyle as he investigates a man who claims his brother is a serial killer driven by visions from God. The narrative unfolds through flashbacks, revealing the family’s dark history and the chilling grip of fanaticism. Matthew McConaughey co-stars in this unsettling tale of faith and murder.
The foreboding and gripping tone ofLonglegsis largely thanks to the unshakable question about what the truth behind the movie is. With a mix of occult and grounded crime elements, the audience is unaware if they are seeing human evil or something deeper. This is also achieved in the excellent horror movieFrailty, directed by the late Bill Paxton.Matthew McConaughey starsasa man who comes to visit an FBI agent on the trail of a serial killer, claiming that the killer is his brother who is carrying on the deadly legacy of their father.
The majority of the movie is told in flashbacks, detailing the lives of these brothers as their father becomes convinced that he is on a mission from God to kill demons who are hiding among them in human form. The movie poses the question of whether their father is truly seeing through these human forms or if he is just a cold-blooded killer.
Silence of the Lambs
The Silence of the Lambs follows FBI trainee Clarice Sterling (Jodie Foster) as she hunts a serial killer known as Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine). To find the killer, she must place her trust in the notoriously dangerous but brilliant cannibal, Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins). With Buffalo Bill’s latest victim the daughter of a U.S. Senator, the pressure is on Sterling to catch the criminal before he can bring his twisted scheme to fruition.
Silence of the Lambsis compared toLonglegsmore than any other film, and there are many reasons why. The iconic ’90s horror film, directed by Jonathan Demme, features an FBI Agent named Clarice Starling (played by Jodie Foster) and acannibalistic killer named Dr. Hannibal Lecter(played by Anthony Hopkins). Clarice has an assignment to try and get information from Hannibal, who attempts to manipulate her. This is a pretty clear similarity toLonglegs, which also follows an FBI Agent who has a connection to a killer she is after or up against.
Although some may criticizeLonglegsfor being so similar to this, it’s fine for a director to be inspired by another film. And it is also fine for two directors, or even more, to have the same idea. There is such an interesting dichotomy when testing an FBI agent’s morals.Longlegsis also truly unique in its storytelling and visual style, which makes it stand out against other modern horror films.
Zodiac
Zodiac is a crime thriller directed by David Fincher, detailing the true story of the unsolved Zodiac Killer case. Centered on journalist Paul Avery, detective David Toschi, and cartoonist Robert Graysmith, the narrative follows their intersecting paths as they attempt to uncover the identity of the elusive murderer.
Zodiacis a compelling crime-thriller directed by David Fincher and stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, and Robert Downey Jr. This one stands out as beingbased on a true story. Itfollows the investigation of the Zodiac Killer from the San Francisco Bay Area, who toys with the minds of police with letters, as they attempt to decipher what seems like an endless amount of clues that take over their lives and careers.
Because of its horrific scenes, added suspense and mystery surrounding the killer, and the focus on the detectives, fans ofLonglegswould absolutely love David Fincher’sZodiac. The persona of Zodiac created a serial killer who seemed beyond human and elevated him to a new level of terror, like something out of a movie likeLonglegs. While the movie doesn’t give answers to the unsolved case, it provides a brilliant account of the investigation.
The Bone Collector
The Bone Collector is a crime thriller directed by Phillip Noyce, starring Denzel Washington as a quadriplegic detective and Angelina Jolie as a young patrol officer. The film follows their efforts to solve a string of brutal murders in New York City, with Washington’s character guiding Jolie’s through the investigation from his immobilized state. The suspense-driven narrative explores themes of determination and partnership.
The Bone Collector, directed by Phillip Noyce, will compel audiences who enjoyedLonglegswith its similar story and characters. It stars Angelina Jolie as Amelia Donaghy, a rookie cop who teams up with Lincoln Rhyme, played by Denzel Washington, who is a much more experienced detective who becomes paralyzed. Amelia goes to him for help, as she has to try and catch aserial killer called The Bone Collector, who leaves behind clues to his murders.
Much like the films previously mentioned, the lead woman is a detective early in her career and has to face a huge and terrifying case of an odd and twisted killer. Indeed, the star power of Jolie and Washington brings The Bone Collector to another level as it is a thrill to see their characters' working relationship grow over the course of the story.
Se7en
David Fincher’s crime thriller Se7en follows the seasoned Detective William Somerset after he is assigned a new partner, the young and idealistic David Mills (Brad Pitt). The two find themselves investigating a deranged killer staging murders inspired by each of the seven deadly sins. On the hunt for the twisted John Doe (Kevin Spacey) before he can kill again, the two detectives soon discover that they’re much deeper into the case than they realized.
Se7enis another film directed by David Fincher. It stars Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Kevin Spacey.Se7entells the story ofa serial killer who bases their crimes on the seven deadly sins,while homicide detectives are working to solve this case and attempt to get into the mind of the killer to find them.
Any horror and film fan would enjoy films directed by the talented David Fincher as he does not hesitate to throw the audience into the darkest and most brutal scenarios in his stories. This being the second mention of one of his crime-thrillers, it further proves his understanding of the genre and ability to even shape and define the genre itself.Se7en’s killer, John Doe,feels like a precursor to Longlegs as they are both killers whose reach beyond their crimes, and the influence they have, is truly chilling.
Copycat
Copycat is a psychological thriller directed by Jon Amiel. The film stars Sigourney Weaver as a criminal psychologist who becomes the target of a serial killer. Holly Hunter co-stars as a detective working to catch the killer. The story delves into themes of fear, crime, and the mind of a murderer.
Directed by Jon Amiel,Copycatis a chilling ’90s mystery-thriller that perfectly belongs on a watchlist withLonglegs.The murderer in this film has a pattern of copying the crimes of the biggest killers in history.The people who work to stop him are two women, a psychologist and a detective, played by Sigourney Weaver and Holly Hunter. As the duo hunt the killer, he seeks to make himself even more infamous by directly threatening those who are on his trail.
The horror and thriller genre has some great depictions of women being the leading characters in films like this one. The same is true with Maika Monroe’s character of Lee Harker inLonglegs, as her character relates well to the detectives in this one. There is also the theme of the legacy of these murders. WhileLonglegsdepicts the endless string of crimes carried out in the name of Longlegs, Copycat draws from killers of the past.
