Spoilers think this movie’s rating needed a couple of more letters.

It’s not so bad. Which is the passphrase to mean, it’s not so good either. Actually, when I saw the film I couldn’t help but thinking it embodied an exploitation film. That is, it’s using explicit sexual matter while telling a horror story. Now, that’s not the first time this is done but it does feel like the adult content does outweigh the scary scenarios. It’s hard to tell whether it succeeds because… Okey, let’s start from the beginning.

(Credit: A24)

X (2022) was written and directed by Ti West. A group of youngsters are trying to make a name for themselves filming adult films. We have the cast of Maxine (Mia Goth), Bobby Lyne (Brittany Snow) and Jackson (Kid Cudi) along with the crew of director RJ (Owen Campbell) and his girlfriend Lorraine (Jenna Ortega) following the orders of producer Wayne (Martin Henderson). They’re all inside a van for a road trip to find a backwater location to shoot. They find it in the home of an elderly couple who seem to be extremely disapproving of them already.

The movie does seem to be using the plot device of the pornographic film crew as exploitation to entice the audience, but I find one thing to say in its defense. In horror films, the idea of the young group with raunchy thoughts is already the excuse to show nudity. At least here, plot device or not, the idea that they are making pornography does give a more reasonable and less hypocrite of an explanation why sex is so prevalent.

As raunchy as it can be, it’s not an adult film. Eventually something starts stalking the young cast and crew and things turn bloody pretty quick. The film does seen to play into the trope of the final girl being the most innocent, which we’re led to believe is Lorraine. However this trope is subverted with the presence of Maxine which seems to be the less innocent of them all. Maxine’s encounter with elderly woman Pearl (played also by Mia Goth) does point to something deeper which of course ended up setting a prequel movie.

Does it work? Sort of. It is setting up a larger storyline with Mia Goth’s characters (both of them) so it does feel more like a movie star vehicle for her. On the other hand, as horror films go it pays some homage to classics but it doesn’t feel like it does anything new for the genre. It does humanize the actual killer, something that will feel out of place until you realize it’s setting up a larger world. However, it does rely on a very cringe portrayal of the elderly for some scary/cringe factor which left a bad aftertaste.

What does work and I wanted highlighted are the dream sequences from everyone, which is where this movie gets the more visually creative. Once these stop, the film enters a lull that almost had me close to giving up. It’s the late third act (or fourth?) where Paul is building a life of whatever crumbs he can get where there’s a slightly upwards second wind. The film eventually ends on a dream, but one that doesn’t really feel earned by the character.

Lightly recommended with reservations. It’s not disposable and has some very decent (and indecent) shots. It doesn’t bring anything new to the table, but at least it goes all in and respect that. It’s a bit hard to discern if the intention of making it raunchy was a tribute to exploitation or getting away with adding it, but it does feel more honest. Only worth a watch if you’re planning to also watch the prequel/sequels for context.

That will do for now.