Film Review: “X” Marks the Spot
It’s been over a year since Ti West’s “X” was released, and I’m still pissed I didn’t see it in a theatre. I wanted to, but I had no one to go with, and this isn’t exactly a movie you want to be spotted excitedly seeing by yourself, despite how much you insist you just love Mia Goth (genuinely!). I had a feeling I was going to love it going in; I have a soft spot for ’70s slashers and was excited to see how A24 was gonna pay their respects. And they did!!
“X” follows a crew of amateur porn producers in 1979 traveling to a country farmhouse to shoot the film that will put them on the map. Our cast of “Texas Chainsaw” meets “Boogie Nights” — type protagonists consist of an “X-factor” exuding Mia Goth, a fresh-off-the-scene Jenna Ortega, an unexpectedly fantastic Kid Cudi, a hilarious and empathetic Brittany Snow, and my always-endearing Owen Campbell. Once the crew arrives at the farmhouse and meets the off-putting elderly couple they’re loaning it from, our idealistic filmmakers realize they’ve bitten off far more than they can sell.
I’ve seen some people complain that “X” just follows the standard slasher formula, and I don’t see how that’s a bad thing. It’s a slasher, and it does it well. While it is a slow burn in typical Ti West fashion, to me, it never feels bogged down, like I was waiting around for the kills to roll in. And when shit does hit the fan, I didn’t roll my eyes at the trite story beats. However, it doesn’t pretend that it’s above stereotypical slashers, its characters are horny, and the kills are gory.
What “X” is able to do is show that, in the words of aspiring new-wave director RJ (Campbell), “it is possible to make a good dirty movie.” Unlike some lesser slashers who only care about sex and violence, “X” is entirely focused on the characters at the heart of the story. All of them are fleshed out and sympathetic, ESPECIALLY the antagonists, which I think are some of the most compelling horror villains in recent memory. The scene of our ancient antagonist Pearl (Goth) slowly taking off all of her makeup after being rejected by her husband is heartbreaking, and it annoys me hearing her character being reduced to just “ew, grandma’s horny.” Like, yeah, she is, but West portrays her struggles in such a genuinely caring way that I don’t understand how people miss those themes and don’t feel horrible for her. Getting old and not being able to have your body keep up with your mind is horrifying. You know that everyone sees you as undesirable if you’re lucky enough not to have been forgotten about or ignored.
All of this is in stark contrast to Maxine (also Goth), Bobby-Lynne (Snow) and even Lorraine (Ortega). They are young, beautiful and they engage with their sexuality in ways that others find appealing rather than uncomfortable. I had no idea Goth portrayed both Maxine and Pearl until the credits rolled, which really hammers the point that they are one and the same. One day, Maxine will be Pearl, and decades ago, Pearl was Maxine. Goth is a powerhouse here, and I’m thrilled she’s getting the recognition she deserves, especially after the success of the sequel “Pearl.” There’s not a single weak member of the cast; everyone sells their character and makes what are often forgettable meat bags in a slasher sympathetic and compelling. Every single victim is actually a compassionate person, with all of them expressing concern and trying to help their future killers when they show their age or exhibit some distressing behavior. They are actual people who want the best for everyone around them. They’re not stupid, though, either; they have their boundaries and respond believably to nearly every situation they’re put into. Ortega’s gradual transition from “church mouse” into rookie porn star feels EARNED. A character who at first seems to be a classic demure final girl type ends up the same way as everyone else on the set, much to the chagrin of her boyfriend RJ, who responds to her desire to appear in the shoot in a way that aligns with not only his motivation to treat his career-launching porno like a French arthouse film instead of smut but also with his own stigmas surrounding sexuality. The rest of the crew is receptive and warm to her, helping her explore a new side of herself and encouraging her. I love that Bobby-Lynne and Maxine don’t see her or each other as competition, and the scene of Bobby-Lynne excitedly complimenting Maxine on her performance is really sweet. Even when they’re filming literal porn, they all are just having fun and goofing around with each other, which is nice to see, especially in a genre where characters normally incessantly bicker and compete. You want these people to live!
These moments between characters keep the depressing themes around aging and loss of control in one’s sexuality from making the film miserable, even though a lot of the time they occur concurrently (like in the aforementioned moment of Lorraine filming her scene while RJ tries to process what it means for them both). Speaking of fun moments, there are many surprisingly funny lines, and once the kills do finally start, they’re gory and memorable. The cinematography is beautiful, too, with the opening shot through the barn doors and the shots of characters being framed through windows sticking out to me specifically. The visual references to “Texas Chainsaw” also didn’t take away from the independence of the film; even though many were obvious homages like the van and the shot of Wayne standing in the doorframe of the farmhouse, none of them felt too on the nose. The soundtrack also SHREDS (special shout-out to the “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” and “Bad Case of Loving You” needle drops). There’s a bunch of excellent foreshadowing for future kills, which makes the film even more enjoyable on a rewatch. This script was written with care, and it shows.
Highly recommend, especially to non-horror fans who think that all slashers are just nameless horny people getting splattered.