WARNING: Major spoilers for Longlegs ahead!
Summary
Osgood Perkins' serial killer horror movieLonglegsdeals heavily with Satanism and occult rituals, and one Bible verse in particular, Revelation 13:1, resurfaces multiple times throughout the movie.Longlegsstars Maika Monroe as newly-minted FBI agent Lee Harker, and chronicles her journey to discover and catch Nicolas Cage’s Longlegs, a serial killer that has been murdering families for more than 30 years. As Longlegs' actions are driven by his Satanic worship and beliefs, there are dozens of religious references, both obvious and subtle, in the movie.
In addition to typical Satanic iconography like the inverted triangle, the number 666, and writhing coils of snakes,Longlegsmakes repeated use of one Bible verse in particular: Revelation 13:1. The iconic Bible verse includes the description of the beast known as the Antichrist, with special mention of the kind of power that Satan gave him. It’s this verse that seems to be at the core of Longlegs' motivation, and its use atthe ending ofLonglegsprovides some insight into his perspective.
Where To Watch Longlegs: When & Where The 2024 Horror Will Arrive On Streaming
Nicolas Cage and Maika Monroe headline the 2024 horror movie, and there are options for where to watch Longlegs on streaming.
It relates to Longlegs' mission
Longlegs himself invoked Revelation 13:1 right before his death, and it appears in his cryptic letters, underscoring how important the verse was to his core motivation. The King James Bible version of Revelation 13:1 reads:
And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
The “beast” out of the sea that the verse mentions is in fact the Antichrist, and the rest of that chapter of Revelation provides insight into what his role will be in the ending of the world. The Antichrist is given authority over all people, and they follow and worship him with a sense of wonder. The Book of Revelation is seen by many as highly metaphorical; therefore, the beast with seven heads and ten horns may not be an actual monstrous creature, but rather a single person or group of people who exercise similar power.
As a Satanist, Longlegs worships the Devil, or as he calls him, “the man downstairs.” Revelation chapter 13 is one of the most significant sections of the Bible when it comes to what the future holds for Satan, and therefore it makes sense that someone who worships Satanwould focus on how he might return and take over the world. Revelation 13:1 may be the oft-repeated verse inLonglegs, but the ultimate message of the entire chapter is what ties it to Longlegs.
The Real Meaning Of Revelation 13:1 In Longlegs
It may be an indication of Longlegs' real power
It’s clear that Longlegs believes that he himself might be the beast, or, in another interpretation, be the infamous “dragon” that releases the beast. He is responsible for Ruth being the person who drops off the dolls at the families' houses, so in that sense, she is the beast, and he is the dragon who empowers her. Revelation chapter 13 also mentions a second beast “out of the Earth” to accompany the beast out of the sea; together with the dragon,they represent the inverse of the Holy Trinity.
The true Biblical inverse of the Holy Trinity, the Unholy Trinity, are represented by the Devil, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet.
The inverted triangle is an important symbol inLonglegs, as it drives the timing of Longlegs' killing spree and acts as the entry point that helps Lee decode his messages and patterns. Interestingly, the movie’s ending implies that Lee may still be under Longlegs' control despite both him and her mother being dead. In that regard, she could be thenew iteration of the beast out of the sea mentioned in Revelation 13:1.
Longlegs
Cast
Longlegs is a horror thriller film by writer-director Osgood Perkins. When FBI agent Lee Harker is assigned to a serial killer cold case, their investigation leads them down a rabbit hole riddled with disturbing discoveries and the occult at the center of it all. When the trail of evidence reveals a personal connection, it becomes a race against time to prevent another murder.
