Warning: this article contains spoilers for Longlegs!

Longlegs has become the unexpected horror hit of the summer. There is much to appreciate about Oz Perkins' supernatural thriller: it delivers a chilling atmosphere without relying on cheap jump-scares, all the while maintaining excellent camera work and featuring a superb soundtrack.

An unrecognizable Nicolas Cage delivers a suitably unnerving performance as the title character. However, as the film's second half revealed more about Dale Kobble’s identity, motives, and methods, Longlegs’ supernatural twist committed the common horror movie sin of falling down in the ending.

Longlegs’ Final Twist Made The Movie Worse

The Rushed Ruth Harker Reveal Only Adds More Questions

Longlegs is already speeding towards its final act when Agent Lee Harker introduces the possibility that the killer they are pursuing may be working with an accomplice. I initially thought this was a clever red herring. The movie stressed Dale Kobble’s connection to the occult, and the alleged accomplice seemed to allude to the entity through which Longlegs commits his murders: the supernatural being he refers to as “the man downstairs.”

Perhaps the worst impact of Longlegs cramming so much new material into its third act is that it draws focus away from the central villain.

Instead, the hint paves the way for the film’s big twist: that Lee’s reclusive mother, Ruth, has been working with Longlegs all along. The concept in itself is interesting. However, despite the subtle hint at Longlegs’ second villain early in the film, the ultimate flashback reveal feels rushed. Other seemingly relevant details are glossed over. For example, while Longlegs’ other targets are killed by their fathers, Lee’s father is absent. Longlegs’ Harker twist and last-minute demon reveal push the main villain into the background when he is marketed as the central antagonist.

Longlegs Isn’t The Only Horror To Make This Mistake

Many Excellent Horror Films Have Been Ruined By A Supernatural Reveal

Longlegs falls into the trap that supernatural horror often finds hard to avoid. There are few horror films that pull off a villain reveal. Often, when the menacing demon is finally shown on screen, the blatant use of make-up and SFX puncture the audience’s suspension of disbelief. Insidious’ comical Lipstick-Face demon is a classic example. Another is Sinister with its Baghuul reveal. It is notoriously difficult to maintain the audience's fear once a villain appears on screen because supernatural horror's greatest tool is the terror of the unknown.

The most unsettling horror endings leave questions unanswered.

Otherwise excellent horror films are weakened by narrative surprises. Hereditary deserves its reputation as one of the best horror films of the 21st century, but its demonic cult reveal arguably cheapened Aster's artful allegory of grief, motherhood, and mental health. M. Night Shyamalan made a name for himself as the master of the horror twist, but the infamous ending of The Village is a far cry from The Sixth Sense. On the other hand, The Blair Witch Project haunts viewers long after its credits roll, suggesting that the most unsettling horror endings leave questions unanswered.

Longlegs Should Have Stuck To One Concept

The Final Act Crams In More Material Instead Of Focusing On Its Main Villain

Longlegs' conflicting concepts would have been powerful if they had been the film's sole focus. Longlegs' demonic dolls had a surprising real-life inspiration, and provided some cool imagery, but the film spent more time expressing the villain's affinity for classic rock than this plot-relevant hobby. The plight of a single mother turned to devil worship to save her only daughter could have been a movie in its own right. The supposedly shocking finale that sees Agent Carter's family become the next target was so obvious, it's surprising none of Longlegs' characters saw the ending coming.

Perhaps the worst impact of Longlegs cramming so much new material into its third act is that it draws focus away from the central villain. Nicolas Cage's performance has been rightly praised: his disturbing yet captivating character is the movie's greatest asset. Longlegs' occult power and concealed appearance shroud the antagonist in mystery, only for his supernatural identity to be limply debunked. The meaning behind his chilling nickname never reveals itself, and the Longlegs director has since explained that the name has no real meaning.

There is much to appreciate about Oz Perkins' supernatural thriller.

Longlegs continues to garner attention, which is a testament to all the things this experimental horror film does well. Oz Perkins has used all the film-making tools at his disposal to deliver on Longlegs' promise to frighten its audience. The film is rich with symbolism, well-acted, and ed by a haunting soundtrack that could rival any Kubrick score. The movie's failure is that it tries to do too much while limited by the time constraints of its third act. Unfortunately, Longlegs is yet another horror weakened by a plot twist that it doesn't manage to pull off.