I've come to think of film production company A24 as The Asylum of art-house films. Where The Asylum focuses on producing low-budget, direct-to-video films that use film titles and scripts very similar to those of current blockbusters in order to lure customers (shouts out to Wikipedia for that beautifully succinct synopsis), A24 also produces movies that - on first glance - look very similar to generic genre films; you don't have to look very far to find the proof of that. Films like "Hereditary," "Midsommar," and "It Comes At Night" all had trailers that marketed the films as scary movies that appealed to mass audiences. Those with some semblance of familiarity of A24's track record would know that the above mentioned films would have more up their sleeve, while others may find themselves taken by surprise by how "different" the movies are when compared to more mainstream fare. "X" is no different. With a trailer that, while stylistic, advertises itself as nothing more than just another slasher, "X" entices customers with an accurate premise, only to pull the rug from out under them once they are seated in the theatre.
What I like most about A24 is its conviction to add an insane level of quality to what should be nothing more than a disposable Saturday night watch. "X" advertises itself as a grimy, bloody, slasher movie - and it is - but it's one that prides itself on its high production value. "X" is a slasher that actually cares about its story and its characters; remarkably, it is a horror film that works just as well when it's purely being a drama. Following a crew of filmmakers who are decidedly set on making an "artistic" adult movie, "X" is intent on character-building. With all the greed, jealousy, and lustfulness that you might expect from a group of young adults who enjoy making love with each other on camera for money, I was pleasantly surprised that I started to enjoy this movie purely on its own storytelling merits, before the real horror even began.
With eye-candy all around in the form of Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, and Brittany Snow (as well as Kid Cudi, Martin Henderson, and Owen Campbell - if you're into that sort of thing), what impressed me most about "X" is that, not only did director Ti West pack his movie full of people who can actually act, but he also has crafted characters that are fully fleshed out and feel like real people. Unlike your typical slasher, here characters actually make smart decisions and are not just stupid for the sake of being stupid. And this works twofold by drawing viewers into the story before the horror begins, and then amplifying it once it does.
With ample care being taken in character, script, plot, and production value (and not to mention the rocking soundtrack), you can only imagine how much care was also taken in the kills. Yes, Ti West will be sure to gross you out here, because there is blood, guts, and gore aplenty, and all of it wrapped around a unique visual flair and editing style that ups the entertainment value and differentiates this movie from other slashers. There is creativity here, with people dying in unpredictable and uncomfortable ways; I definitely found myself cringing at many of the deaths. So if you enjoy bloody violence, you'll definitely find a lot to like here.
If I had any complaints about this movie, which I do, it's that I found the tension building to be slightly lacking. You see, I quite enjoy slashers that have long, drawn out scenes of people trying to escape their murderers ("Scream," for example), and this movie didn't really have that. While I understand why exactly "X" could not have such scenes, it did make the killings slightly lackluster - as in, character goes to place, then they swiftly get killed in said place, and end scene. While the kills themselves are creative, there is a lack of creativity in the build up to those kills. Similarly, I did find the motivation of the killer(s) to be somewhat unclear. I mean, I understand why they were doing what they were doing, but I don't really think the motivation was all that believable. Also, I found the ending to be rather abrupt and not very climactic or fulfilling. All of that said, "X" remained to be extremely entertaining.
"X" won't be for everyone - when the movie ended, a middle-aged man turned to his date and said, "That was the weirdest movie I have ever seen." A couple sat next to me, and basically sprinted out of the theatre as soon as the credits rolled. However, its almost maddening attention to quality and detail elevates it above other, similar, slasher movies, making this one very memorable horror film.
What I like most about A24 is its conviction to add an insane level of quality to what should be nothing more than a disposable Saturday night watch. "X" advertises itself as a grimy, bloody, slasher movie - and it is - but it's one that prides itself on its high production value. "X" is a slasher that actually cares about its story and its characters; remarkably, it is a horror film that works just as well when it's purely being a drama. Following a crew of filmmakers who are decidedly set on making an "artistic" adult movie, "X" is intent on character-building. With all the greed, jealousy, and lustfulness that you might expect from a group of young adults who enjoy making love with each other on camera for money, I was pleasantly surprised that I started to enjoy this movie purely on its own storytelling merits, before the real horror even began.
With eye-candy all around in the form of Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, and Brittany Snow (as well as Kid Cudi, Martin Henderson, and Owen Campbell - if you're into that sort of thing), what impressed me most about "X" is that, not only did director Ti West pack his movie full of people who can actually act, but he also has crafted characters that are fully fleshed out and feel like real people. Unlike your typical slasher, here characters actually make smart decisions and are not just stupid for the sake of being stupid. And this works twofold by drawing viewers into the story before the horror begins, and then amplifying it once it does.
With ample care being taken in character, script, plot, and production value (and not to mention the rocking soundtrack), you can only imagine how much care was also taken in the kills. Yes, Ti West will be sure to gross you out here, because there is blood, guts, and gore aplenty, and all of it wrapped around a unique visual flair and editing style that ups the entertainment value and differentiates this movie from other slashers. There is creativity here, with people dying in unpredictable and uncomfortable ways; I definitely found myself cringing at many of the deaths. So if you enjoy bloody violence, you'll definitely find a lot to like here.
If I had any complaints about this movie, which I do, it's that I found the tension building to be slightly lacking. You see, I quite enjoy slashers that have long, drawn out scenes of people trying to escape their murderers ("Scream," for example), and this movie didn't really have that. While I understand why exactly "X" could not have such scenes, it did make the killings slightly lackluster - as in, character goes to place, then they swiftly get killed in said place, and end scene. While the kills themselves are creative, there is a lack of creativity in the build up to those kills. Similarly, I did find the motivation of the killer(s) to be somewhat unclear. I mean, I understand why they were doing what they were doing, but I don't really think the motivation was all that believable. Also, I found the ending to be rather abrupt and not very climactic or fulfilling. All of that said, "X" remained to be extremely entertaining.
"X" won't be for everyone - when the movie ended, a middle-aged man turned to his date and said, "That was the weirdest movie I have ever seen." A couple sat next to me, and basically sprinted out of the theatre as soon as the credits rolled. However, its almost maddening attention to quality and detail elevates it above other, similar, slasher movies, making this one very memorable horror film.