Did Longlegs miss a trick with its ambiguous ending? Some fans seem to think so, with one pointing out a way it could have made the Nicolas Cage movie “10 times” scarier.
But before we get into it, let it be known that we’re about to enter spoiler territory – so look away now if you’re holding out.
Now that’s out of the way, a huge Reddit discussion about Longlegs continues to grow as more and more viewers tune in to what has undoubtedly been the most hyped horror movie of 2024.
Despite its 86% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences have given it 64%, with many left feeling a little disappointed by the film. Neon’s epic marketing campaign may be partially to blame, raising expectations a little too high.
But there’s also been plenty of criticism about the ending, where we find out that Lee’s (Maika Monroe) mother Ruth (Alicia Witt) has been working for Longlegs (Cage) – and therefore the devil – this whole time.
In a bid to save her daughter, she delivers Longlegs’ handmade dolls to the victims’ homes. The dolls contain metal orbs that possess the family members, driving the father to gruesomely murder his entire family before taking his own life.
Although this is partially explained, it still leaves plenty of unanswered questions. As said by one Redditor, “The doll stuff was such a let down. The first act was incredible, great tension, horror, sound design, setup.
“Instead of any real plan it was just Satan in a doll that has to be delivered? And the master plan was…? I wish they went further with it. if this was the mechanism, does he rise from the doll after the 13th one? What’s the payoff for Longlegs?”
In response, another put forward an idea that would’ve made Osgood Perkins’ new movie even more terrifying: the supernatural wasn’t involved at all, and it was all just a delusion of Nicolas Cage’s killer.
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“I feel it would’ve been 10 times scarier if he was just a creepy dude who thought the devil was making him do these things,” they explained. “Make him less deformed and give him enough charm to convince these families to kill each other instead of it actually being the devil.”
Another agreed, “It feels to me in hindsight like that was the original plan and then the actual devil was a later addition.
“The cipher and the algorithm with the birthdays making a triangle is the kind of thing a psycho would THINK has meaning. But the idea that the literal devil actually has a use for those things is weird.”
“Great shout, that would have been far better IMO,” added a third, while a fourth chimed in, “That would have been better.”
Others were happy with how the doll plot was covered, including this person who said, “I really appreciate how they spelled out the whole doll thing because I was having a hard time following the main character’s hunches before that point tbh.
“The supernatural aspects of the doll was kind of a let down but I can suspend my disbelief enough to enjoy it. This seems like the perfect movie to watch twice to see all the clues/hints.
“Overall I just loved how f*cking CREEPY this movie felt – I was constantly sinking into my seat in the theater waiting for shit to hit the fan.”
Longlegs is in cinemas now. If you’ve already seen it and want more, check out the horror movies that are scarier than Longlegs. Why not also take a look at the new films arriving on streaming this month? And here’s everything you need to know about Terrifier 3, Smile 2, and 28 Years Later.
