‘Longlegs' Review Embargo Breaks, But Only For Carefully Selected Critics

One way of getting free promotion! /Film was 10/10, but nothing on Metacritic yet.

https://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2024/6/10/longlegs

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.