Movie Review: X

I'm an avid fan of anything the A24 production studios puts out onto a cinema screen. They've had an amazing track record when it comes to truly original and captivating horror stories and I was hopeful X would of a similar calibre.  Directed, written and produced by Ti West, this original horror story pays homage to the conventional setup which was so prevalent to horror slashers back in the 70's. It's only on the surface level however that this film follows the conventions of the past, as for the remainder of the film you are presented with a truly uncomfortable and harrowing experience

The narrative of X follows a group of aspiring actors in Houston, Texas who venture out to a remote piece of land to film a raunchy porn film. These young actors all have aspirations about making it big in the film industry, especially the main character Maxine who is desperate to escape a life she claims she doesn't deserve. As Maxine and the rest of her film gang arrive on the plot of land they soon discover that the old couple who own it are a very secluded and disturbing pair. The rest of the film follows the crew as they try to film the porn movie all the while the tensions continue to build with the old couple's true intentions soon becoming very clear. 

The films narrative is an interesting one as on one hand you could dismiss it as a simple slasher set up but it manages to be a lot more than that if you look at the deeper subtext. The reality is Maxine and her fellow crew are all out with aspirations for a better life, but they are forcing themselves to partake in a porn film in hopes of reaching Hollywood fame. It's tragic when you look at how much these people delude themselves into believing this film they are making will give them a better life when the truth is it would simply tie them down to an even worse one. These characters are all so cleverly written to contrast and banter with one another and their actors all easily project their characteristics and personalities in a lot of subtle ways throughout the films runtime. The subtext goes even further when you look how the old couple weigh into the narrative. You realise the film is trying to commentate on concepts like age and regret through their eyes. They see this young and aspiring group of kids going out and flaunting a life long gone to them and it brings out their bitter resentments which all eventfully leads to the bloody and horrific final arc of the film. It's so easy to dismiss this film as a horny slasher but I honestly feel it's a lot more than just that if you take the time to appreciate the narrative aspect.

In terms of style and tone, this film has it in leaps and spades, which isn't very surprising considering it's an A24 produced film. The cinematography and editing in this film feels notably distinct with long shots and quick pace cuts. It's a very artistic film as well as a very gory film. For a good chunk of the film you don't see much in terms of violence, but Ti West teases his brutal ability in small shots in preparation for a beautifully horrific conclusion. I think similar to how Tarantino does it, the lack of prevalent violence during a good majority of the film makes the abundance of it near the end more effective. The film easily earns it's X rating in the kills alone, and there's a truly grim reality to a lot of it that's hard not to appreciate.

I felt very uncomfortable watching X for a lot of different reasons, but I don't necessarily see that as a bad thing. Horror can work in more ways that just violence and death. There's a many ways horror can be depicted in the psychological sense and the film does well in creeping you the hell out with a lot of sexual tension before capping it all off with a horrifically violent climax. While I can't say this film is going to suit everyone's taste, I at least came out of it appreciating how weird and wonderful it was to watch.