Synopsis:
X is a 2022 slasher flick that was both written and directed by Ti West. While the story is set in 1979, the film itself pays tribute to the 70s and 80’s grindhouse horror movies. X is unique to the horror genre because of its nostalgic elements intertwined with violence, captivating visual style, social commentary, and subversion.
The film starts with a vanful of aspiring filmmakers traveling to a Texas suburb for the purpose of shooting an adult film. The cast features Maxine Minx (Mia Goth), a model turned actress and “adult film star,” Maxine’s husband producer Wayne (Martin Henderson), Director RJ (Owen Campbell) with his girlfriend and boom operator Lorraine (Jenna Ortega), and supporting cast members Bobby-Lynne (Brittany Snow) and Jackson Hole (Kid Cudi). The couple rents a cottage owned by an elderly couple, Howard and Pearl, who, Goth wearing heavy prosthetics, later reveal their shocking transformation. This dual role becomes central to the film’s themes.
What begins as an attempt to capitalize on the burgeoning adult film industry after the liberating sexual revolution quickly turns into a Herculean nightmare. As the group occurs with filming, they remain completely oblivious to Pearl’s existence; seething with possessive hatred, she is a waning star yearning for affection and youth. Her resentment toward the passage of time is only compounded by the younger group’s unchecked sexuality, further exacerbating her suppressed desires. What begins as the desire to cater to an obsession becomes ruthless, blood-soaked violence.
Pearl, along with her frail, yet equally dangerous husband Howard, picks the crew off one by one. The violence is graphic, deliberate, and methodical. Ti West weaves together elements of classic slasher films with his distinct, artistic vision. The voyeuristic rural setting clashes with conservative and liberal tensions from different generations, creating an unnerving environment that simmers before eruption.
Pearl’s fantasy comes crashing down when her so-called first victim, a mangled and bloodied yet somehow alive Maxine, self-rescues in an astonishing display of fortitude. While the unraveling obliteration of surviving a trapped feminine ideal figure is not only physical, an unmistakable shift in lifestyle—or culture—does emerge, marking the new opposing Pearl’s world in decline. Even so, she reinforces her resolve, declaring to herself that she will no longer be shackled to the farm and the nightmarish truths that come with it.
Mia Goth as Maxine Minx / Pearl:
Goth delivers a stunning dual performance in the film. Maxine is a character who embodies the youthful energy of ambition and tenacity. Pearl, the later character she portrays, is a tragic villain, and she is both horrifying and pitiable. The transformation of Goth into Pearl is aided by heavy body and facial prosthetics, but encompassing and nuanced performance of sadness beneath the anger her character is enveloped in already exceeds the sadness surrounding her character.
Martin Henderson as Wayne: The adult film producer. A pragmatic but very charming, and incredibly consumed by his goals, independent cinema, the latest focus of his absued filmmaking techniques, appears to Wayne as their golden-age of film industry.
Brittany Snow as Bobby-Lynne: A performer who unapologetically takes full advantage of her sexuality. Snow bestows the character with diabolical grace of a woman which is in sharp contrast to the prison-like surrounding.
Kid Cudi (Scott Mescudi) as Jackson Hole: Amidst the whirlwind, Jackson, a Vietnam veteran and performer, brings much needed bouts of stillness. The incarnation of values lends surprising depth to his character.
Jenna Ortega as Lorraine: Lorraine, more on the shy and conservative side at the beginning of the film, undergoes remarkable transformation over the course of it. The critique of violence, in addition to societal expectations toward women, is striking and showcases transformative change.
Owen Campbell as RJ – The director who naively imagines the adult film to be an opportunity for him to “create art.” The disenchantment he goes through is deep, as he discovers the extent of his impotence and the real monstrosity of the picture.
Stephen Ure as Howard – Aged husband of Pearl where she assists her with the murders. Nurse and accomplice, he Pearl facilitates in her obsessive killing spree downward spiral.
Direction and style granularity insights grounded in research:
The meticulous attention to detail seen in all of Ti West’s works (like The House of the Devil and The Innkeepers) is also present here with X. The grainy and zoom-heavy camerawork, designated Westron imagery, paves the way for the viewer to be steeped in the 70s.
He does not outright copy the style, but rather uses it to critique and reinterpret the values of the time. The camera moves around in a voyeuristic manner, provoking the audience to question their predilections towards violence and sexuality. The pacing is striking and balanced with edifying tension that is eased through effective cuts and sharp editing.
Original works augmented with some classics from the 70s created a hauntingly nostalgic score which was ideally suited to the film’s context, serving to deepen the atmosphere even more.
Analysis of the work also shows that X boasts much more deeper themes beyond the conventional slasher motives:
Fading beauty and the denial of age – Pearl’s damaging sentiments towards women stem deeply from her desire to retain youth and beauty. She feels hostile not only due to the younger women’s beauty, but also because of their sexual freedom to express it.
The performative aspect of identity – The film crew is always fully embodying characters as porn stars and filmmakers, even in their private lives. This highlights Pearl’s fractured sense of self and the manner in which she appears to struggle to accept a version of herself she once knew.
The onset of the underlying mainstream American immorality – This took place in the early Reagan era and captures the free love mentality and openness associated with the ’70s and the constricting attitude Pearl personifies.
The act of voyeuristic observing and exploitation – The film offers an assessment of the voyeuring role, both within the plot (Pearl being the spectator of the porn movie) and the spectators of the film.
Critical Reception & IMDb Rating:
In 2024, the film is reported to have received an IMDb rating of 6.6, suggesting that audiences’ reception of “X” was relatively favorable. Besides the standout performances such as Mia Goth’s captivating dual role, critics praised Ti West’s direction, drawing attention to his balance between homage and originality. The film has been described by many as thematically rich “subtext slasher,” noting that it went beyond senseless violence.
The first half of the film was painfully slow for audiences unfamiliar with West’s pacing, as well as those looking forward to a typical horror film. However, the remainder of the viewers were content, believing the unyielding promise of the second half made the wait worthwhile.
The movie’s staggerding success offered resourced for sincere prequel, Pearl, set to star Mia Goth, as well as slated sequel, MaXXXine, which marked X as the first in a trilogy exploring horror in three differing cinematic styles.
Conclusion:
There is no doubt that “X” is a highly stylized, hyper-violent slasher horror film with an elevated depth beneath the surface. Its tribute to the 70’s along with reimagined concepts, period-correct aesthetics, intricate and multi-faceted characters, social critique, makes “X” an enigma for horror lovers. West incredibly packages both entertaining and thought-provoking film and along with a stunning performance from Goth.
This film is not merely a blood-soaked scream fest; it also delves into growing old, desire, and the terrifying prospect of longing for something that no longer exists. Enthusiasts of more sophisticated sub-genres of horror, including deconstructed or slasher film, will find X hauntingly impactful long after the credits roll.
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