PLOT: In 1979, a film crew planning to shoot a porno rent a small home on an isolated farmhouse. When the owners of the property realize that the new tenants are shooting something less than wholesome, all hell breaks loose for everyone involved.
REVIEW: We’re living in a time when genre filmmakers like Ari Aster, Jordan Peele, and Robert Eggers have proven intelligent and original horror is nearly always in fashion. Another name to add to that list is Ti West. From his early years with his feature film debut, The Roost, to The House of the Devil and The Innkeepers, Ti has managed to create quite an exciting resume. His latest feature called X – while perhaps his most accessible film to date – is yet another example of how to find something fresh out of the familiar. The new horror outing stars Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, Brittany Snow, Kid Cudi, as well as Martin Henderson, and frankly, it’s a wild ride. Even more than that, it’s a film that will manage to illicit a gasp or two from the audience. And that’s not even because of the copious amounts of sex and nudity.
It’s 1979, and the success of a pornographic film called Deep Throat has caused a commotion in Hollywood. All this inspires a movie crew to make magic with “The Farmer’s Daughters,” a fictional adult feature. Martin Henderson is Wayne, the film’s director. The stars of his pornographic opus include Mia Goth as Maxine, Brittany Snow as Bobby-Lynne, and Kid Cudi as Jackson. Joined by DP, RJ (Owen Campbell), and his girlfriend Lorraine (Jenny Ortega), the crew heads to a secluded location owned by a creepy older husband and wife, Howard and Pearl. When the married couple realizes that this crew is up to something lewd, all hell breaks loose for the visitors. And yes, if you are looking for a healthy amount of sex and violence in a slasher flick, you can’t do much better than this.
If you look at the plot, X may sound like a sleazy and tasteless affair. It’s neither. It’s pure bloody fun. Ti West has done something unique here – although the plot is similar to the entertainingly original and fun 2011 feature BreadCrumbs – yet the inspiration from classics like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is abundantly clear. The new fright flick appears to have roots in other Tobe Hooper-directed films, notably an early one that I won’t mention here – the title alone may be a bit of a spoiler. One sequence offers up a stunning moment of undeniable suspense. It’s so impressive that it’s likely to become an iconic scene in horror history. This nerve-rattling imagery hints at one of the creepiest kills revealed later in the film. I feel safe to say you’ll know it when you see it, especially because it has nothing really to do with the main villains. The practical effects are glorious, as is the weird and unsettling energy created by a few joltingly effective editing choices and an atmosphere that feels more like the original TCM than the recent Netflix remake/sequel did.
One highlight here is the cast. Mia Goth has proven to be exceptionally great when involved with genre. And she shines here. Her Maxine is desperate to be a star. She wants nothing more than to be adored by fans and worshipped at the pornographic alter. This next part is a slight spoiler, but it’s worth mentioning. So if you don’t want anything revealed, you may want to skip the rest of this paragraph – perhaps avoid IMDb and character names as well. Much like her co-star in the recent remake of Suspiria, the great Tilda Swinton, Goth gets the chance to explore two very different characters. Her take on Pearl (the elderly wife of Howard) is excellent. So much so that I didn’t fully realize that she was playing both characters until later in the film. It’s a fascinating dynamic that she works so closely with herself. One scene is so unsettling that it’s unlikely I’ll forget about it soon, and neither will most horror lovers.
As terrific as Mia Goth is, she has incredible support from this excellent cast. Brittany Snow is fearless and shows genuine depth as a porn star who is unapologetic about her career. Kid Cudi brings a sense of assuredness as the male star of the dirty movie. Both Jenny Ortega and Owen Campbell bring a little extra drama to this flick, and it works well. Then there is Howard. Stephen Ure gives this guy an element of sympathy, but it’s clear that there is more to be found inside him. And finally, Martin Henderson fully embraces Wayne, and the actor proves once again he is perfect for the horror genre. The entire cast is in on the joke, and it’s a delight to watch them all submerge themselves in this vicious and violent tale of lust, sex, murder, and celebrity.
Setting this flick in 1979 works wonders. The soundtrack is toe-tappingly good, and I’m genuinely shocked they got all the rights to these excellent music choices. The repetitive editing tricks between scenes and the Seventies setting all help make this one of the more inventive slashers I’ve seen in a while. X is a gruesome and dirty delight. It’s not salacious or in poor taste as the sex and nudity feel just as important to the plot as the collection of victims involved. In a year where a few smartly done horror entries are bringing this horror fan joy, Ti West’s X fits right into the mix. It’s a trippy and disturbing tale, one that celebrates all the things that make these movies so much fun. If you are looking for a different type of hack and slash in the cinemas, you will want to peep your eyes on X.