Photo Courtesy of LA Times
The film “X” was released in theaters on Friday, March 18, and is nothing short of terrifying, stomach-churning and strangely whimsical. With the lofty expectations that come from production company A24’s long-standing history of critically acclaimed horror films, the film had plenty of pressure weighing on its back. Thankfully, it delivered with what some are calling a “modern classic,” in large part thanks to the homages to 20th century slasher films, particularly 1974’s “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.”
“X” takes place in 1979, when a group of young filmmakers are determined to make an adult film in rural Texas. From there, they meet an elderly couple who has granted them permission to stay at their spare cabin nearby, though the old couple has no idea what kind of business these filmmakers are getting into.
The film stars English actress Mia Goth, who plays Maxine, an aspiring pornographic actress who looks to make it big. Maxine is joined by her boyfriend and producer, Wayne (Martin Henderson), actors Bobby-Lynne (Brittany Snow), Jackson Hole (Scott Mescudi) and director couple RJ (Owen Campbell) and Lorraine (Jenna Ortega).
The movie’s main antagonist is Pearl, also played by Mia Goth, who wants to experience sexual pleasure with her husband, Howard (Stephen Ure). However, the story revolves around Howard having a bad heart, making him unable to provide this for his wife. Slowly, Pearl starts to unravel, getting closer to Maxine and finding her beauty to be exactly what she wants to still be in her life. Upon seeing the young film actors engage in sexual activity, Pearl becomes jealous, turning the movie set into her own personal bloodbath.
Writer Ti West combines harmless sexual activity with gore in the most fascinating way possible. Despite this, the film does take the slow-burn approach with a near hour of non-bloody activity. It then quickly turns into a killing spree, and although it may come unexpectedly, the buildup is clear and provides the audience with a strong backstory as to why these creepy elders have gone down such a murderous path.
There are many highlights in this film. For starters, the visual effects team made everything seem realistic to the max, with its murder scenes not seeming too cheesy or fake-looking. The acting throughout was also superb, as Goth and Ortega stood out and stole the show. Ortega shined the brightest with an incredible frightened scream, while Goth showed herself to be a versatile actress by being able to accurately articulate a young woman in the 1970s and also effectively showing her skills as a murderous, horny older woman.
The feel of the movie also plays a part into why this film has become such a success. The film discusses everything that has happened in the span of 24 hours at the cabins. With this, we get to see everything play out from the time the cast arrives at the cabin during the daylight until the night when the chaos finally begins. There is a vast feeling of suspense, waiting to see what exactly Pearl has up her perverted sleeves. The suspense coupled with a reasonable amount of jump scares should keep the audience satisfied with the product.
The reviews have also been extremely positive with a 96% approval rating. One critic in particular, Chase Wilkinson of We Got This Covered, stated, “Ti West’s latest slasher ‘X’ defies all odds and sets itself apart from the crowd as a phenomenal piece of filmmaking that reinvents the overplayed cliches and marks a refreshing turning point for modern horror.”
“X” continues its intrigue all the way to the ending credits. At the end of the post credits, audiences got a sneak peek of a prequel film titled “Pearl.” From the mini teaser, Goth is seen reprising her role as Pearl, though this time a much younger version. The prequel film will be set during World War I in 1918, exploring the origins of the villainous character and exploring the same cabin in which the “massacre of X” takes place.
