So far, 2024 has been a good year for horror and thriller movies. That trend continues with Longlegs, an excellent new thriller from writer/director Oz Perkins. The film, which opens today, focuses on a young FBI Agent (Maika Monroe) and her hunt for a serial killer.

The film is set in the 1990s, where FBI Agent Lee Harker (Monroe) has a special gift. She’s intuitive, at least when it comes to evil, and that draws the attention of a senior agent, Carter (Blair Underwood). He hopes Lee’s gifts will help give some insight on a case that has the bureau stuck.

For years, Longlegs (Nicholas Cage) has taunted agents with cryptic notes left at the scene of grisly murders. But they don’t know who he is, why he’s operating, or how it’s being done. Can Lee crack the case or will diving in draw her too close to evil.

I’ll leave the plot description at that, as much of this film works because of the surprises and the visuals along the way. It’s best to go in without having too much knowledge of what’s about to happen and let the power of the presentation wash over you.

The craft here is impeccable. The pacing, the look, the choice of shots, and the score all work to heighten the tension as we mostly follow Lee and her hunt. And Monroe does a great job in the lead role. She slides into the role of Lee and brings a great sense of foreboding to the role.

But the best performance belongs to Cage. Longlegs is a big, broad character. We only see him in a couple spurts—and that’s by design. But Cage makes an instant impression that is riveting and haunting. It’s a performance that could well be worth a nomination come awards season. The rest of the cast is solid as well. I enjoyed Underwood in a mentor type role, while Alicia Witt gives a great performance in her role as well.

Films like this rise and fall based on the craft, the story, and the way it builds tension. This mysterious, dark, and often unsettling film knows how to build that tension. The characters work, the sequences are chilling, and the dialogue hits the right notes at the right time. This was a chilling experience in the best way, and one well worth checking out on the big screen.

Longlegs is now playing in theaters nationwide.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.