‘Longlegs’ proves Nicolas Cage remains one of Hollywood’s most fascinating stars

When judged against his fellow thespian sexagenarians, Nicolas Cage will never be a bankable box-office champion like Tom Cruise. He’s not as talented an actor as Denzel Washington or Tom Hanks. He has been mocked for making too many terrible films.

Still, there has never been anybody quite like Cage. He takes risks that other A-listers typically don’t. Sometimes it’s a hit. Sometimes it’s a miss. While his overall batting average isn’t what it should be, Cage deserves applause for taking chances. His latest feature is a great example of why he remains one of Hollywood’s most fascinating stars.

Off the screen, you could focus on his wild spending, his failed marriage to Lisa Marie Presley, and his tomb in New Orleans. But let’s focus on the screen with intriguingly unusual movies such as Pig (2021), The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022), and his latest, Longlegs (2024).

Longlegs, released last weekend, had the biggest opening ever for Neon, an independent film company. With $22.8 million, it was the No. 2 highest-grossing movie behind only Despicable Me 4 ($44.65 million). Longlegs enjoyed the best debut by an R-rated horror film this year. Cage co-stars — and co-produces — in a serial-killer thriller reminiscent of The Silence of the Lambs (1991). He has played bad guys before, but this role differs from Cage’s usual over-the-top villains.

Cage has never been better and never been creepier. Even with his limited screen time, he dominates this flick so much that you wish director/screenwriter Oz Perkins gave him more to do. Perkins decided that the less you see the monster, the more terrifying he becomes. Can’t argue with that strategy; Cage’s looming presence drives the narrative and has made Longlegs the unexpected hit of the summer.

A younger Cage might have tried to make the killer cartoonishly evil. Think Face/Off’s Castor Troy with tons of makeup and prosthetics. Instead, Longlegs, while having oddball quirks, also is sinister enough to be believable. It’s a chilling performance that reaches its crescendo near the end. Longlegs is intelligent, but he isn’t an evil genius like Hannibal Lecter. He’s just plain evil.

Cage brings his brand of unique weirdness to the role. It’s so much a part of the story that it’s doubtful Longlegs would have succeeded without him. Cage reportedly based his character on his late mother, who battled schizophrenia and severe depression. That’s not something many actors would do, or at least admit.

Cage, who won an Oscar for Best Actor in Leaving Las Vegas (1995), is at a point in his career where it’s more important than ever to surround himself with talented people. In Longlegs, he benefits from two who know a lot about horror. Perkins is the son of Anthony Perkins, who is best known as Norman Bates in Psycho (1960). Maika Monroe, who plays FBI agent Lee Harker in Longlegs, was previously best known for her lead role in It Follows (2014).

The response to Longlegs, has been amazing to watch. You usually don’t see original, non-sequel horror films break through during the summer blockbuster season. Longlegs has been praised by critics and fans and also inspired several memes.

Cage will never be Cruise, Washington, or Hanks. He doesn’t need to be to give an impactful performance.