X is a 2022 slasher film that focuses on a group of people embarking on an adventure to make an adult film at a farm in rural Texas, however things start to go horribly wrong for them.
There’s just something unique about A24, because it’s an independent studio highly recognized for giving filmmakers a ton of creative freedom and allowing them to fully express themselves with their films. Every time you see the A24 logo appear on screen, you immediately know you’re in for something special. It’s also known for its reinvigoration of the horror genre, especially if you’ve seen titles such as Hereditary, Midsommar, Saint Maud and The Lighthouse. In this case, we now have Ti West’s latest feature X. His previous movie was released in 2016, and he has finally returned to his roots as a horror director. Written and directed by West, it features a stellar cast of actors like Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, Martin Henderson, Brittany Snow, Owen Campbell and Scott Mescudi (Kid Cudi), and it will take you to the exploitation era of slasher flicks from the 70s. Also, X is most certainly not for everyone. You’ve been warned.
It focuses on a group of people embarking on an adventure to make an adult film at a farm in rural Texas, however things start to go horribly wrong as someone is coming after them. It undeniably sounds like a really simplistic premise, but West manages to incorporate some interesting layers to it. It will make you think of some compelling concepts as soon as the movie is over, which makes X very profound as well.
The moment you first hear about the casting, you know everyone is going to do a great job. Sure enough, they do. Everyone stands out, and they’re all different from one another in terms of personalities and backstories. Instead of just being mindless and boring caricatures, they feel like they’re actually a part of the era they’re depicting like a period piece. West’s screenplay makes sure the audience is interested to know more about these characters, and you understand why they set out to make their adult film. He also comes up with clever dialogue with dark humor, which surprisingly works for a narrative like this.
From the get-go, you can tell West is a humongous fan of slashers. There’s a lot of tension as it goes on. X is a fantastic celebration of exploitation genre films, and it’s interesting to go back to that time period in cinema. It’s also well-paced from start to finish, and each scene serves a purpose to the overall story. Sure, it’s a little predictable. It’s still not a flaw that will compromise the rest of the movie. Yes, it’s important to mention it’s indeed very violent, bloody and graphic. The kills are devastatingly brutal, while also being realistic. They don’t hold anything back. If that bothers you, you should have seen it coming.
X is specifically made for genre fans in mind, and they’re going to have an amazing cinematic experience. This does feel like a genuine passion project from West. It’s definitely a midnight movie to watch with a crowd of passionate cinephiles who love this type of cinema. It’s a brilliant homage to classic and beloved slashers from decades ago, while being an insanely entertaining and disturbing horror film on its own.