Absolutely wild how the review embargo for Oz Perkins’ “Longlegs” has lifted, more than a month before it's supposed to be released. Almost no studio does this unless they have absolute confidence their film will deliver the goods.
Then again, notice how the trades are absent in these reviews, what we have so far are writeups from Slash, Gizmodo, Bloody Disgusting, and Flickering Myth. Sure, all raves, some calling it a “masterpiece,” but why didn’t they screen this one for more publications? Food for thought.
Neon is really pushing hard for us to notice “Longlegs,” and these past few months they’ve been low-key screening the film for only a handful of carefully selected horror-affiliated critics. What gives? If you’re that confident in this film then why not just let as many critics see it as possible?
The embargo having now lifted, and us only getting only a handful of reviews is indeed strange. This is Neon targeting one particular demographic (horror movie fans), and nobody else. They are being very meticulous in selecting who gets to see “Longlegs,” and, so far, it’s only been genre fanboys.
This all fits well with how Neon has been marketing the film, releasing three cryptic teasers, a trailer, and around half a dozen posters without giving much away in terms of plot. We haven’t even seen Nicolas Cage’s serial killer yet. It’s all just one big mystery, and that’s been enough to intrigue plenty of people.
Based on early reactions, the vibes here are a mix of “True Detective,” “Se7en” and “Silence of the Lambs.” Again, the plot is barely revealed, but in the trailer there’s a shot of a black-veiled figure, with a demonic face slowly appearing. There’s also a blink-and-miss shot of a young girl sitting on a bed, with a giant horned figure behind her.
Neon is so onboard the Perkins train that they’re already set to distribute his next two films, “The Monkey” and “Keeper.” Is Perkins (“The Blackcoat’s Daughter”) the next big thing in horror? We’ll have a better answer when “Longlegs” hits theaters on July 12.
