Nicolas Cage’s 2024 independent horror movieLonglegswas a massive success, but was far from the actor’s first venture into the genre, ashis highest-rated horror performance was in a psychedelic dark fantasy that critics loved.Longlegsdisturbed US audiences, becoming Neon’s highest-grossing domestic release. The viral and popular horror, where Cage plays an erratic serial killer, amassed many positive reviews from critics, including an 85% score on Rotten Tomatoes. However, an earlierNicolas Cage horror movieeclipsesLonglegs' impressive record.
Cage is no stranger to horror success, taking on uniquely terrifying roles and receiving praise for his contributions to the genre. Projects likeColor Out of SpaceandWilly’s Wonderlandhave demonstrated his versatility and ability to command the screen. However, while many Nic Cage horror projects have developed cult followings, two of these modern hits,MandyandLonglegs, are in close competition to be labeled his biggest and best horror outings.According to Rotten Tomatoes, 2018’sMandyis even better than the wildly successfulLonglegs.
Nicolas Cage Gives A Career-Best Performance In Mandy
Red Miller Was The Defining Part Of Panos Cosmatos' Horror Odyssey
Director Panos Cosmatos wantedMandyto be a new kind of horror experience,recruiting Cage to tackle the captivating main character. Cosmatos debuted the movie at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, where critics immediately knew that the experience was something special. They praised the overall production quality and original style, but were especially impressed by Cage’s leading performance, with many claiming that he was the defining element that made the story a success.
[Cage] portrays Red Miller, a violent lumberjack who extracts revenge on the people who murdered his girlfriend, fighting off psychedelic hallucinations and sadistic torture.
This premiere was followed up with a limited theatrical run, thanks to RLJE Films, and was met with mixed opinions from audiences. Still, the movie dominated at festivals and independent award shows, with Cage receiving significant praise. He portrays Red Miller, a violent lumberjack who extracts revenge on the people who murdered his girlfriend, fighting off psychedelic hallucinations and sadistic torture. Red has not only garnered cult-status as a legendary independent horror character, butmany critics and media outlets believe that it was a major career feat for Nic Cage and one of his all-time best performances.
Mandy Is Nicolas Cage’s Best Horror Movie, According To Rotten Tomatoes
Cage Only Has Ten Movies With A 90% Tomatometer Or Higher
Nicolas Cage is a well-established movie star who has been a part of many successful projects, including major franchises, cult-classics, and critically-acclaimed independent features.Cage’s highest-rated movies on Rotten Tomatoesare the 1993 neo-noir dramaRed Rock West, and the Oscar-winning animated comic book movieSpider-Man: Into the Spiderverse, both of which are certified fresh and enjoyed equally positive audience reviews. These titles lead the list of10 movies in Nic Cage’s career that have managed to break into the 90% range on Rotten Tomatoes.
Nicolas Cage Movies With 90% Or Higher On Rotten Tomatoes
98%
97%
93%
91%
90%
Adaptation (2002)
Impressively, among blockbusters and movies with global attraction,Mandymakes the list with a 90% score from RT-approved critics and stands as Nicolas Cage’s highest-rated horror movie.It leads the internet conversation of the best horror movies that he has appeared in, ranked #2 on Screen Rant’s worst to best ranking of Nic Cage horror movies, behindLonglegs. The positive reception thatMandyreceived from critics and the impressive Rotten Tomatoes score ensures that it will carry value into the future and as the actor continues to dominate the horror scene.
Nicolas Cage Has A Lot Of Experience In The Horror Genre
The Man Behind Longlegs Has Come A Long Way Since Vampire’s Kiss
Before he was a modern horror icon and responsible for Red Miller or Longlegs, Nicolas Cage made his genre debut inVampire’s Kiss, where he mastered hisspecialty of playing unhinged characters. The horror and comedy hybrid was released in the early part of Cage’s career, nearly a decade before he secured the role of Castor Troy inFace/Off, and long-ahead of his journey into blockbuster stardom. The 1988 movie, directed by Robert Bierman, follows the alarming crisis of Cage’s character, who believes that he was bitten after a sexual encounter with a vampire.
The cinematic icon would go on to star in violent and action-packed horror experiences likeGrindhouse,Drive Angry, andMom and Dad.The current decade pulled Cage even further into the world of terror, and in the past four years, the actor has battled killer animatronics as a quiet janitor inWilly’s Wonderland, embodied classical terror as the famous Dracula inRenfield, and survived post-apocalyptic madness inArcadian. However, none of those movies have been able to capture critics and reach the levels of praise thatNicolas Cage’s most dynamic horror movie,Mandy, did in 2018, highlighting how it deserves its storied place in Cage’s career.
