This belated review comes naturally later than planned due to my current work-life and so my review of X that you receive now in actuality is a review of a second watch and is paired with the knowledge of the upcoming MaXXXine and also paired with a viewing of the incredibly swift and similarly brilliant prequel Pearl. It seems I’ve already played my cards early, I loved this film then and I love this film now. And with a hopeful ending landing stuck with MaXXXine this may very well be one of my favourite horror trilogies/series, certainly the first I’ve awaited each entry with open arms. Especially after the tailing off of the new Halloween’s, and hopefully not the case with the new Scream films. Anyway let’s talk about something wholly original, well not perhaps ‘wholly’, nor ‘holy’ for that matter, but something exciting and something that despite being knowing and full of homage and love, creates with a wonderful sharp and exacting brush.
I don’t want to over-articulate my thinking on X in the realm of it being a deeply thoughtful slasher, it is, I really do feel that, but also what makes it so entertaining and re-watchable is the fact that is also a very effective and simple slasher film too. The kills are all great and the slow-build up towards them is entertaining, filled with dread and lots of great humour too, as-well as plenty of wonderful genuine sexuality. Ti West as a writer and director does not shy away from no aspect of his film, he doesn’t shy away from much of either of the sex or the horror and gore. However West perhaps most importantly neither attempts to let his film bow down to modern genre norms, the film is slow and languid with its horror, up until a point. Now for some this may feel frustrating, for two different camps. Once the kills start going one camp may feel that all the joyous slow build has been wasted and another camp may feel that the kills were not worth the slow build. The whole equation worked perfectly for me, and even on a re-watch I enjoyed myself just as much. This really is one of the most entertaining and fresh slashers we’ve had in a while. The cinematography of Eliot Rockett offers a grain and real 70’s quality to the whole affair, as a matter of fact the whole film is wonderfully 70’s in chic and nostalgia. But also a realistic 70’s. Sure there are a few on the nose music cues, but overall this feels like a real 70’s setting, rather than a hollow one for empty nostalgia. The music by Tyler Bates and Chelease Wolfe is again equal parts 70’s porn aesthetic and haunting ethereal terror, all working brilliantly to enhance and bolster the films epically difficult tight-rope of genres. The film is edited by West too, with David Kashavaroff, and takes great joys in telegraphing, match-cutting and creating effective jump scares. Time after time the editing and direction of the film, with its employment of many separate elements, is having gleeful dark fun that truly is infectious.
However of course perhaps the most effective thing a slasher can do to have an effect is to have likeable characters, a thing that a shocking amount of slashers and horror alike throw to the way-side. With its slow-burn, extended sequences of conversation and porno movie-making, X puts as a chief aspect of its first hour a complete understanding and building of empathy and likability for absolutely every character who will soon be dispatched, some more than others, but everybody is likeable in their own way, nobody is worthy of murder - of course that’s an obtuse statement, not many people are worthy of murder, but in the world of horrors everybody is up for the slab, so it’s nice for once to not wish for it. But the film plays on our expectations, just like porn, we are waiting for “the” shot, ether it be the gore shot or the, well… You know. The build-up is fun, but it must have its climax. Here the climax is uproarious and without disappointment. Jenna Ortega and Owen Campbell come along for the ride and have the biggest arc amongst our supporting cast, both very well handled and delivered by the script and the actors. Martin Henderson is an awfully entertaining figure of authority and perverted wisdom, giving some of West’s best written lines the deliveries they absolutely deserve. Scott Mescudi and Brittany Snow steal the show in the supporting category however as two incredibly lovable rogues of the porno world who know exactly who they are and relish it with complete understanding and joy, they are funny, touching, sexy and ultimately the deliverers of two of the most immensely charismatic performances of the year. However the year of performance belongs to one woman and one woman alone; Mia Goth, now I’m of course perhaps unfairly mentally infusing her bravura performance in Pearl into this equation too but here as the dual roles of Maxine and Pearl, Goth does such sensational work, paired with brilliant make up effects, that I genuinely had no idea they were both played by the same person. At first I felt foolish, but then I felt incredibly wowed by Goth’s talent and capability for range. Obviously the nature of dual performances helps show range like no other opportunity, but Goth as Maxine is just as splendidly dynamic and effecting, and here as an elderly Pearl is unsettling but ultimately surprisingly upsetting. West has empathy for everybody in his film and the film is all the more great more it.
A wonderfully taut and entertaining 8/10 that is equal parts; intriguing and thoughtful discussion of the clash and comparisons of sex and violence on film, whilst fundamentally being a terribly fun slasher and sexy summertime romp. It is everything it says on the tin and although it may be blunt and far from subtle on its initial purpose statement with one of its characters commenting “it is possible to make a good dirty movie”, West succeeds and despite us not knowing it at the time kicked off our most exciting new horror series in a long time.
P.S. Chekhov’s alligator is the best set-up for a kill I’ve seen in a while.
SPOILER P.S. (But not if you watched the trailer) and that’s my point. Can we please stop putting the final lines and shots from movies in our trailers. I very much doubt West had much of any control over this decision, however I can’t believe that once again I watch a trailer for a movie and go… “oh that feels like a final line”, only for it fully be the final line. Again on re-watch and for further viewing, this affects me less and less, after-all it is a great final line, but on that first watch, I just couldn’t help but feel underwhelmed and frustrated. But it’s not the film’s fault, nor West’s.
- -Thomas Carruthers
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