Obviously, the writing, practical makeup effects, and performances are very strong in Longlegs, though none of this would matter if the film were presented with your standard shot-reverse-shot format, plainly allowing us to process Cage’s character as a normal man. Instead, he appears as an otherworldly entity, making the audience feel powerless and small, enraptured in his off-screen gaze.
Personally, I feel that these visual composition choices are the key element that elevates Longlegs from a standard horror to an instant genre classic.