Ti West's "X" Gon' Give It to Ya

‍

Familiar, but Different

‍

Ti West’s latest entry into the horror genre, X, pays homage to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre while maintaining a focused layer of transcendence that gives more than expected.

Horror fans will notice a familiar plot: A band of guys and gals load up in a van and escape a stuffy Texas town with the mission of making a pornographic film in the middle of nowhere. What makes this A24 affair special, is the metaphorical lens the story is seen through. 

‍

Right away, X bares what it’s all about– traditional values vs sexual liberation. It proves to be a great premise, because the war gives plenty sex, thrills, and kills, classic exploitation style.

‍

The film crew’s little part of 70s Texas seems to have it out for their lifestyle. Shopkeepers give them funny looks, and an ultra-conservative pastor diatribes against the counterculture on every TV set seen in the movie. It’s a far cry from the hippy “free love” movement going on at the time.

‍

‍

Merry Band of Pornsters

‍

Enter Mia Goth as Maxine Minx, a cocaine-snorting amateur porn actress with dreams of stardom, and the center of gravity for the movie. She’s unabashed in her convictions as she hypes herself up in the mirror, like Dirk Diggler before her. Other characters concede that she has the “X-factor”. Indeed, she’s aptly beautiful and her attitude makes her the standout in every scene she’s in, even amongst the rest of the awesome sexy cast.

‍

Despite the smutty nature of their mission, every character is funny and earnest. This is a point where West exceeds its source material, since slashers tend to have several annoying parts. It works here because they all have different standings in the world of loose morals and non-traditional sexual relations. 

‍

All wish to make their porn project something special, except for the cameraman’s girlfriend assistant, Lorraine, played by rising horror star Jenna Ortega. She’s referred to by everyone as “church mouse” because of her quiet naivete in the presence of their sexual acts. This makes her important in this film, as she’s seemingly the only one not on board with the rampant deviance. Indeed she does go far in this slasher. I won’t spoil her arc, but I will say I believe it makes an interesting statement, especially when paired with a beautiful scene featuring an acoustic cover of a prescient classic era song.

‍

‍

Ti West has a clear love for the evil incarnate in this film, he literally makes it dance in front of the screen for all to gaze confusingly at. The killer is someone atypical for the role who has a personal vendetta against sex positivity. X makes these murderous motivations more mysterious than that, though. You never know where the danger is going to come from, in what form, and most importantly WHY the killings have to happen. Even by the end, questions satisfyingly linger despite some vague backstory we come to learn. It's all part of the charm. Horror is nothing without the killer and in X, they fit like a hand in glove in the uniquely carnal tale.

‍

Summary

‍

After all is said and done, X is a blast because there's much to enjoy. The deaths themselves don’t disappoint. There are a few jump scares, bloody kills, close calls, and scenes that are completely unexpected and gross! Groans, laughs, and screams are all enticed during its 100 minutes.

‍

‍

The nods to sexy and violent 70s films are baked into the style. X wasn't shot on film but it sure does look like it, more so in the scenes that contain the dirty movie within the movie.

‍

The climax gets wild in such an awkward and fitting way.

‍

Mia Goth's character receives a quick and clever backstory reveal at the tail end of the story that gives a satisfying rush of insight. She gains another dimension that colors the premise of her mission in an appropriate light. Maxine Minx is more than a pretty face, but a romantic idea of rebellion you will remember long after the credits roll. 

‍

Those big themes I mentioned never get preachy, which is something I give Ti West big props for. Many lesser writers are happy to predictably champion the progressive side of an issue and lambast the conservative angle, but it's not the case here. Instead, X creates an environment where all lifestyle choices have trade-offs, and it leaves a bloody wake.

‍

This neo-exploitation flick only adds to the societal conversation of what is right and wrong, it doesn’t tell, it shows the conflict– most violently and erotically. 

‍

Rating: A

‍

-Alex

‍