In a slew of horror movies being remade and rebooted (including Scream, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Halloween Kills) director Ti West brings an original horror slasher with X.
The tagline of the movie on the poster reads "Dying to show you a good time," which could mean a plethora of things, as the image mixes both the slasher and sexploitation genres that are present in the film. With its theatrical release coming soon, audiences are eager to feast their eyes on this fresh horror take.
The Plot
The film follows a group of young adult filmmakers in 1979 trying to make film a titled "Farmer's Daughter." In need of a good backdrop, the crew finds themselves in rural Texas on what seems like an isolated farmhouse. However, when their elderly hosts figure out what they're up to, the cast encounters dark occurrences in the night and struggles to fight for their lives.
Without revealing too much, the release of its trailer promises a bloody good time full of scares, hinting at more surprises along the way.
Writer/Director Ti West
Writer and director Ti West is most known for his work in contemporary horror with movies like The House of the Devil and The Innkeepers in the late 2000s, which became cult favorites. He later worked on episodes of several shows including Scream, Wayward Pines, and Tales From the Loop.
X marks West's return to the genre after departing to make the Western hit, In a Valley of Violence, in 2016. Though working on some horror TV shows in between, fans have been eager for the filmmaker to make another original horror movie.
The Cast
X has a cast led by Brittany Snow (Would You Rather), Jenna Ortega (Scream), and Mia Goth (Suspiria). The cast also features the likes of Martin Henderson (The Ring), Owen Campbell (Super Dark Times), and Stephen Ure (who some may not recognize from his role of Orcs in The Lord of the Rings series).
Scott Mescudi, also known as rapper Kid Cudi, also joins the cast, as he has been dabbling in acting lately with roles in the recent Don't Look Up and Bill and Ted Face the Music. With the exception of Mescudi, it is apparent that the cast members are no strangers to the horror genre, which brings promises of many layered performances in the film.
The Studios
X is a co-production between A24 and Bron Studios, both of which have produced highly successful films in and out of the horror genre. A24 has delivered acclaimed modern horror classics with the likes of Hereditary and The Witch. However, this will be the company's second slasher after Green Room.
Bron Studios has also thrown their hat into the horror ring with the reboot of Child's Play and Candyman. With these studios known for backing the creativity of filmmakers, X will likely prove to be full of weird and violent chaos subverting any expectations, making fans of the studio and the genre excited.
Mad Solar Productions
In association with Bron Studios, Kid Cudi branched out and launched his own production and music management company. With its initial launch in the Amazon Prime documentary A Man Named Scott releasing in 2021, X becomes the first feature film for the brand.
The next project for the company will be Entergalactic, an adult animated series debuting on Netflix later this year, with a soundtrack produced by the man himself. With the many different forms of media coming from the creative mind of Kid Cudi, this production company will certainly be one to look out for in the future.
The Cinematography
Cinematographer Eliot Rockett collaborates with Ti West once again since working together on The Innkeepers. Since then, Rockett has worked on several TV shows, including Grimm and Snowfall.
With his return on X, audiences can expect a stylistic retro look from the film, reminiscent of slashers of the 70s. This is similar to West's work on The House of the Devil, which was shot on 16mm film and emulated camera techniques and movements favored in 80s horror. Though the film will look retro, the scares and splatters will be distinctively new.
70's Horror/Slashers
Throughout his filmography, director Ti West has been recognized as an admirer of the horror genre. It appears that he will continue to pay homage to horror classics, with X being evocative of 70s horror and erotica. Audiences are also commenting on how the premise feels like a cross between Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights and Tobe Hooper's The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
With West comparing horror to pornography in an interview during a 2009 press tour, it only makes sense for him to combine the two in this film that seems to take the horror genre back to the days when movies highlighted the underlying terror instead of the horrific events.
The Rating
The Motion Picture's Association gave X an R rating for its strong bloody violence and gore, strong sexual content, graphic nudity, drug use, and language. Based on the premise of the film, the rating ensures that it will likely be extreme, on all accounts.
Looking at Ti West's filmography, X seems to push his own boundaries in terms of bloody imagery and sexual content after the extremes seen in his film, Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever. Needless to say, this may be a film younger audiences might have to skip out on.
The Location
Though taking place in Texas, the movie was shot on location in Whanganui, New Zealand. The country has been a popular location for filming due to its beautiful sprawling landscapes. Besides the scenery, other motives of filming in New Zealand include the availability of non-unionized crews, production and post-production resources (thanks to Peter Jackson), and tax incentives/breaks.
With the nation's handling of the pandemic, the country has also provided a safer place to allow filming. Though the film may not be his cup of tea, Whanganui Mayor, Hamish McDouall, is proud to have many films like X in their backyard.
The Release Date
The film had its world premiere at the legendary South By Southwest Film Festival on March 13, just before its theatrical release on March 18. Online screenings are available for the festival for those who are unable to attend and want to watch along with the premier before theater audiences.
Though this movie will only be in theaters, those still uncomfortable heading out to their local theater won't have to wait too long for the VOD release, as they have been recently happening relatively sooner than usual, depending on the film's success at the box office.