Movie Review
While the first-century religious leader clearly had no connection to the production studios behind X, it still seemed like an oddly fitting introduction to a horror film infused with prominent themes of Western evangelical purity culture and religious trauma.
A24 pic centers on a somewhat meta-narrative: In 1979, a group of filmmakers pay to stay at a run-down ranch in Texas. It's the perfect setting for their adult feature The Farmer's Daughters. Helmed by laid-back producer Wayne (Martin Henderson), the project benefits from the arthouse approach of indie director RJ (Owen Campbell).
But as Bobby-Lynn (Brittany Snow) confidently asserts, the production would be nothing without her subjects: herself, her "sometimes" boyfriend Jackson (Scott "Kid Judy" Mescudi) and rising star Maxine (Mia Goth). RJ's girlfriend Lorraine (Jenna Ortega) helps out on the technical side, skeptical of the film's Christianity he insinuates, but nonetheless intrigued by the actors' relaxed .
It's an eclectic lineup they've created, and it's a group that doesn't belong in a rural, religious setting. Due to the sensitive nature of the landlord Howard (Stephen Ure) and his enigmatic wife Pearl (who also plays Goth, which makes for a striking comparison between the two characters), they are forced to exercise restraint. Unbeknownst to the aspiring starlets, discovery of their "deviant" lustful pursuits would have disastrous (and bloody) consequences.
While the tension builds slowly but masterfully, the first half of X focuses mostly on character building and touching on its main themes. While no overt horror occurs until at least the halfway point, an eerie sense of anticipation punctuates the entire viewing experience.
It is the guiding instructions, not the misdirection, that draw our attention and prompt the questions that lead to the murder of the killer. Who will be the killer? What is their motivation? X peels back these layers while reveling in clever and gory kills that shock and horrify and still revel in their own absurdity.
Inspired by films like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, West's take on the slasher genre salutes its predecessors. The very opening scene evokes an old-school, square aspect ratio—just to make it look like a clever camera trick, the scene is framed by open barn doors.
It also honors the Texas countryside of the 70s to showcase only the local beer of the era. But beyond beer cans and aspect ratios, West is tapping into something entirely new—and that's through Goth's fictional counterparts and their counter-ideals.
"I will not accept a life I do not deserve." Maxie's oft-repeated mantra finds a brilliant antiparallel in Pearl's character and roots in biblical themes. The teachings of the Christian televangelist cover the Texas town, including the homes of Howard and Pearl.
They spread the message of eternal life given to the undeserving - to suppress their true desires in order to deserve such a life. And these religious ideals inform and enrich every theme of the film: especially the gap between generations, between the liberated and the repressed.
X's focus on is not for shock value, as these central themes are set against the West's conception of oppressive religious ideology—the true villain of the horror flick.
While religious themes are by no means new to the horror genre, X uniquely and effortlessly weaves a story of aging, loss, and freedom in a world influenced by a conservative Christian belief system. The result is a slasher that's nasty, mean, and utterly thrilling.
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