Every time I sit down to see an A24 horror film I know whatever is about to happen I won’t be able unsee it. Sometimes this is a good thing, sometimes it’s not. And yet again, this time around, A24 has bleached my eyes with a unseeable little horrific romp through a Chainsaw Massacre wannabe titled X.
X is written, directed and edited by Ti West, director of the cult horror films House of the Devil (2009), The Innkeepers (2011) and one of my favorite found footage horrors, The Sacrament (2013). He’s lent his slow burn horror style to this new highly buzzed about film. The story is pretty simple, a group goes off to film a dirty movie in Texas in 1979. They decide to drive out to the country and rent a little house on a man’s property to secretly film in, to add to the production value. Of course this goes awry and all hell breaks loose when the wife of the homeowner decides she doesn’t really like what she sees…or does she?
That’s the thing. X isn’t new or elevated for me in any sense. I did get the underlying tone of the film, which was sort of sad. The film itself is about the horror of losing your youth, about getting old and trying to desperately to hang onto the past or future so much you’ll do anything, literally. Old age and youth collide as both are trying to pave the way and also look back. This of course is a scary subject but handled in an odd way. X took the plot line and treated it like a TV program trying to teach you a lesson but about halfway through decided to switch gears and then just end without anyone learning anything.
I don’t know how to explain X other than you’ve sort of seen it before. Ti West took the old formula of brutality for brutality sake and put a “what if they were filming a porn” twist to it. I saw the bits and pieces of a story shining through but I expected more. I was waiting for that, “oh my god” plot line twist moment but instead was left with nothing more than some older folks wanting to make out and kill kids. Even the supposed twist seemed like a last minute idea that made no sense. Maybe it was just me but I didn’t hear anyone in the audience gasp. That’s the thing, the audience wasn’t really in it. We were there but the story didn’t take us anywhere.
I love horror movies. I’m not one to look away or get grossed out by any means. But with X, I thought some of what was shown was not necessarily needed in any way. It was sort of icky for no sake other than to make you feel gross. That’s what I don’t understand. Gore is good and all but sometimes you don’t need to show me some things to creep me out. It got the “ew” impression from the audience but didn’t add to the story. Hereditary for instance had some out there visuals you’ll never unsee, but they added to the story. X’s visuals lingered and hung its hat on a few things that didn’t add much.
As of now I wouldn’t recommend X to many people. There are some cult classics that stick better, the story line alone of some old 80’s gory goods are much stronger. X is missing something. It is a good throwback, don’t get me wrong. I see the inspiration, I understand every move Ti West made. Yet if I had a budget to make an ode those horror pioneers before me I’d have strived for a bit more.
X was missing that x-factor and I’d say take a romp through some old classics before you get your hands dirty with this film.
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Writer. Geek. Final Girl.
