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This film is a superb exercise in tension management. We know there's something off from the start, as do the the central protagonists when invited to this weird dinner party. But as in real life, peer pressure overcomes their doubts. Brilliantly acted throughout, the horror is purely psychological but just as terrifying as any jump scare filled shocker. It's an intelligent script, people say things that people would really say as it muses on aspects of grief and blind faith. Horror films have got a bit samey on streaming services of late, this one still has an original premise that's also grounded in a plausible reality.

If you really like a good horror film and you appreciate what it takes to make a good film of any sort then ignore some of the absurdly negative user reviews here. Longlegs is for grown ups, it doesn't dose out jump scares according to some formula or algorithm, it requires you to think about what's going on. And that's not easy or obvious. It reminded me of The Shining, the set up is as solid as that, right away you're drawn into a particular time and place that's strangely unsettling yet inviting. It isn't a conventional horror film at all, more like Silence of the Lambs, a police procedural with a plausibly real threat at its centre. The whole cast is great and Nicholas Cage's unhinged creation is utterly terrifying yet oddly likeable. There are subtle nods to the late David Lynch and Kubrick in the cinematography and sound design which all add to the overwhelming sense of dread. Watch in the dark and wait for that 'knock knock knock on the farmhouse door'.

There is such a thing as cringe comedy for example; The Office UK TV series with Ricky Gervais. This film could be categorised as cringe horror. There are some excruciating scenes where minor social faux pas are subject to such buttock clenching scrutiny you feel the need to look away. It's excellently done with great performances all round backed up with direction that relentlessly cranks up the mood of foreboding. It's a morale tale with a simple lesson at its heart: don't take things at face value, facts matter. It's a neat psychological horror for those who like their horror neat. No jump scares or animated corpses just the terrifying prospect that you might end up in this situation. I wanted to see this, the original Dutch/Danish film (which is mainly in english dialogue) to compare with the UK/US remake with James McAvoy but I'd rather not go there again. Be careful out there...particularly when on holiday.