X Review

 

Certificate: 18

Running time: 106 minutes 

Starring: Mia Goth, Brittany Snow, Jenny Ortega, Kid Cudi, Martin Henderson, Owen Campbell

Directed by: Ti West

The story: In the seventies, a group of filmmakers decide to make an adult film at a secluded farmhouse where their hosts take a special interest in them.

The verdict: Working as an homage to both horror and seventies filmmaking, X is a great throwback to the slasher movies of old whilst simultaneously maintaining the self referential quality often found in modern horror. Though that may sound a heady mix, X works really well in finding a balance between feeling familiar and being new. 

The premise is a fun one and one that will certainly strike a chord with anyone who has any experience of low budget filmmaking. The cast is great with everyone working in a way that makes it easy to imagine that this is a real cast and crew - which of course it also is and therein lies the cleverness of X.

X builds its way to the outright horror but once the slaughter begins, it’s relentless. The kills are gory and brutal and along with the sex scenes, X lives up to its name as being x-rated and graphic. 

X is not simply about the sex and violence however and simmering beneath the surface is questions on what it means to age, differing morals, sexual expression and generational differences. What side of the fence you end up on very much depends on your own views and X is an interesting film in confronting the audience on those issues. 

One for the horror fans but definitely not one to watch with your parents, X is an engaging film which ends in a gloriously chaotic and carnage filled third act.

The rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️