X (2022)


If writer and director Ti West has a style it is slow and deliberate.  It is obvious that he loves the feeling of old horror films, Even his more modern stuff has that retro feel, with a pace that is much more restrained than the constant sensory assault most modern horror directors embrace.  It should come as no surprise that West once again decides to take his horror back in time, this time being 1979.

Wayne (Martin Henderson) is the owner of a Houston strip club who is hoping to get into the porno business.  With his girlfriend Maxine (Mia Goth), stripper Bobby-Lynne (Brittany Snow), porn actor Jackson (Kid Cudi), director RJ (Owen Campbell) and mic operator Lorraine (Jenna Ortega) Wayne sets out for a farm in a rural part of Texas owned by an old couple named Howard (Stephen Ure) and Pearl (Goth).  Things seem off from the beginning, but the crew still decide to go ahead with making their film.

Maxine meets Pearl and is repulsed by the old woman.  Meanwhile Lorraine, who happens to be RJ's girlfriend, becomes interested in doing a scene in the film, much to RJ's displeasure.  Angry, he decides to leave the rest behind, only to come upon Pearl.  She initially hits on hm but then murders him when he doesn't return the affection.  Afterward Pearl decides to get rid of everyone else with the help of Howard. 

Despite the beautiful directing job, excellent score and tight acting X is pretty much a standard slasher once it gets going.  Since there are references to Psycho it is clear that West intended for the tone to switch halfway through.  There is a tension that runs through all the early scenes as things are just somehow off from the time they arrive at the farm.  Still, although it is not abrupt, the changeover is a letdown after the big buildup.  

Despite that it is still above average for this type of movie.  Much of the reason for that is Mia Goth doing duel roles as budding porn star Maxine and psychotic octogenarian Pearl.  In particular with the latter she gives a performance that has multiple dimensions to it without a lot of dialog.  It helps because what dialog she does have as Pearl is barely discernible, a fault more on West or the person doing sound for him.  

The other issue is the makeup on Goth and Stephen Ure.  It's clever to have the character the killer is fixated on be played by the same person, but in this case it may have been better if someone the right age had been hired.  I am sure a lot went into making the old-age makeup but, like most makeup of its type, it's obviously someone younger in makeup.  Pearl looks scary and haunted, so that part is done well, but the same effect could have been done with a lot less effort with someone older.  That would not have prevented Goth from playing Pearl in the prequel.

X (2022)
Time: 105 minutes
Starring: Mia Goth, Martin Henderson, Brittany Snow, Kid Cudi, Jenna Ortega, Owen Campbell, Stephen Ure
Director: Ti West

 

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