X

X brilliantly evokes the period feel of early slasher films with honest practical effects, while subverting their moral stereotypes and the idea of the immaculate "final girl". The killer this time is a sexually frustrated retiree who takes out her pent-up desires on the young, horny filmmakers and porn actors making a movie in a conservative rural area. But she kills them not to punish them for fornicating, but out of envy (her motivations are deepened by the excellent prequel Pearl). Ti West manages to harmoniously blend two often despised genres, porn and slasher, which share many common elements. The result is an unconventional mix of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Boogie Nights, and it is breath of fresh air among other recent slashers that only unsuccessfully attempt to emulate their illustrious predecessors. And Mia Goth is absolutely phenomenal in the central dual role. (16/11/2023)

Sometimes a movie ticks all the right boxes for you to enjoy, but it somehow leaves you cold. That was my experience with X. Yes, the subject matter is great. It features good directing and visual effects and has some superb acting performances. It has also got some cool subplots even though it played out predictably and unexcitingly. It simply elicited no better response in me than an appreciation of solid filmmaking, which is a bit of a shame in this case because I expected a bit more from it. (07/05/2022)

So, I've had another "horror" experience that certainly didn't enrich me in any way. Ti West directed his own script, and the outcome was just as peculiar as his first name. The script didn't hold much weight; aside from the two seniors, all the characters felt dreadfully onedimensional (and therefore boring). The only scene that genuinely horrified me was one where I found myself grateful for no longer being young and that life had already dealt me enough blows, sparing me from deeper psychosexual trauma. While I understand that love knows no age, and I wholeheartedly support that, I simply didn't need to witness it here. I reckon Mia Goth enjoyed her dual role far more than I enjoyed the entire film because my two stars go to those responsible for the masks and the killings. The story itself struck me as rather laughable; the characters acted idiotically enough to fit the current "horror" trend, and I found myself fast-forwarding through the slower parts. Let me be frank; I've seen much worse. Nevertheless, I can't say I'm eagerly anticipating the second part (which is actually supposed to be the first part). / Lesson learned: Yes, there can be circumstances in human life when death seems like a better option. (24/10/2023)

I didn’t quite expect to find such an interesting, ambitious and not very often explored theme at the centre of a horror murder mystery from the backstage of the amateur porn industry, one that even made me sympathise with the main villain at several points (well, until she went into full psycho bitch mode, that is). The cinematography is great, West, like in The House of the Devil, convincingly imitates the 1970s, plays with editing and delivers more than one strongly creepy sequence. Unfortunately, the heroes aren't exactly my cup of tea – even though they are portrayed quite effortlessly and easily recognizable from each other – so the first half was more like waiting for the inevitable carnage to finally begin. But after the first stab, things get beautifully brisk and horror-packed until the end. I’m not as thrilled as I thought I’d be, but I’m satisfied. (14/04/2022)

Despite a rather tepid pace in the first half, the creative skill of the filmmakers makes this an extremely atmospheric affair that cleverly references the greatest horror classics. Horror is of course what it is, yet it's not just superficially scary, and impresses more with its powerful visuals (the alligator chase shot is simply divine and the split-screen guitar sequence is an absolute treat), including the simple yet perfectly effective and believable motivations of the two main bad guys. A strong (non-)mainstream piece of work that feels old-fashioned and innovative at the same time. [80%] (23/05/2022)