In 1979, a group of young filmmakers set out to make an adult film in a rural Texas farm, but when their reclusive, elderly hosts catch them in the act, the crew find themselves fighting for... Read allIn 1979, a group of young filmmakers set out to make an adult film in a rural Texas farm, but when their reclusive, elderly hosts catch them in the act, the crew find themselves fighting for their lives.In 1979, a group of young filmmakers set out to make an adult film in a rural Texas farm, but when their reclusive, elderly hosts catch them in the act, the crew find themselves fighting for their lives.
- Director
- Writer
- Stars
- Awards
- 4 wins & 43 nominations total
Geoff Dolan
- Deputy
- (as Geoffrey Dolan)
Matthew J. Saville
- Officer Mitchell
- (as Matthew Saville)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Summary
Reviewers say 'X' is a horror film that blends 1970s slasher aesthetics with modern elements, praised for its atmosphere and visual style. Mia Goth's dual performance is lauded for complexity, while themes of aging and sexuality resonate deeply. The film's practical effects and gore receive mixed opinions. Some appreciate its thematic richness and artistic qualities, while others criticize its slow pace, predictability, and lack of originality. The transition between the film's halves sparks debate, with varied reactions to its pacing and structure. Overall, 'X' is a mixed bag, appealing to horror enthusiasts yet disappointing some with its flaws.
Featured reviews
Didn't expect much. Paid homage to classic 70's horror movies. Unlikeable characters that were given sufficient depth to make you care enough to not want them to be the next kill which made it refreshing. A little too gorey in parts for me but a well shot movie none the less. Cannot understand for the life of me why they didn't just cast older people as the central characters though. Just pointless having younger actors in prosthetics for the sake of it. Would have been much better if they just cast older aged actors. A simple yet fun movie that was original enough but with clear nods to some of the classics from the past.
An interesting slow burn, but without enough to make it stand against the countless other slasher films, X is a fine film and another tribute to the iconic genre that made horror so popular in the first place. Granted, I do enjoy myself a slasher film from time to time- I'm quite fond of films like Nightmare on Elm Street and My Bloody Valentine, but where X faults among the others is through using a rather familiar formula without any true unique purpose. Throughout the film the characters often talk about an X factor, something that makes Mia Goth's character special and starworthy- but unlike its mentionings- this film just doesn't have that. The acting is really good, I love the underrated Mia Goth as always- as well as Brittany Snow, Martin Henderson, and even Kid Cudi did a rather impressive job. The cinematography is fantastic and perfectly fits the amitpshere and tone the film is going for. The music is enjoyable and tense, and its pacing can be a bit slow at times, but does allow for an interesting point of view. Its main problem lies solely in its script, which revolves largely around a smut film production- but takes too many elements and formulaic tendencies from other horror films like Evil Dead, Friday the 13th, The Visit and most obviously Texas Chainsaw Massacre to really stand out on its own and become its own thing. In the end, its not a bad watch, I wouldn't watch it again, but I certainly didn't mind watching it. It isn't the most memorable, but I certainly don't have any disdain for it. It just could have been more, especially given the talent involved, but ironically it settled for less.
My Rating: 5.8/10.
My Rating: 5.8/10.
I liked it. It's a nice old-fashioned (flawlessly 70's styled) slasher horror-flick, with a fairly original premise. As in any comparable horror movie the motives for the killings are pretty farfetched, but who cares, when they are pictured so relentlessley gruesome, the gore here is definitely not for the tender-hearted. Another strong point is how the movie very gradually builds up the tension, this is a real slow burner, the apprehension of looming doom is palpable throughout the movie. This is helped by a strong direction, a very clever and inventive editing, and some great photography, see for instance the scene of one of the girls swimming in the lake, while... well, I won't give it away, but it's beautiful and hair-raisingly scary at the same time!
Add to all this some very funny dialogues and goings-on at the start, and you're in for a well made, old-school horror flick, maybe not life-changing but absolutely entertaining for those who can apprciate this kind of movie (like me!).
Add to all this some very funny dialogues and goings-on at the start, and you're in for a well made, old-school horror flick, maybe not life-changing but absolutely entertaining for those who can apprciate this kind of movie (like me!).
I originally watched this film as an introduction to Mia Goth's acting, which I must say is incredible this film. I was thrilled to see such a star studded cast including Jenna Ortega and Brittany Snow. That being said I think the writing did not live up to the casts potential. If you are looking for a nostalgic 70's/80's style slasher film, this might fit the bill. Motives of characters in this film left a lot to be explained and fell short in my eyes. That being said, this film serves as the introductory film to the prequel, "Pearl" which is far more better excecuted and "X" is totally worth the watch just to experience "Pearl" in all it's glory. Overall, his film was good but not great. However, I look forward to the character development in the partner films surrounding this plot line.
I didn't know what to expect going into this movie. Some reviews said it was porn with some horror, some said it was a slasher B movie. Some said decent acting and a good gore fest.
It was all of the above, though I'd say less porn, there are some nude/sex scenes but they're really not the heart of the movie. The gore is well done, the acting is very good I think, and the overall slasher aspect is reasonable, though it could have been a little more creative.
Saying all of that none of it is what I'll remember this movie for. What really struck me in this movie was the portrayal of age and how it affects people and their relationships, I actually felt really sad for some of the characters in this movie, and that isn't usually how I'd expect to feel watching a slasher. It really did feel like the writers, directors,. And actors were trying to remind us of something whilst also making a decent slasher. I think it's to value our youth, and our lives as much as we can. I don't want to say much more as I don't want to spoil the movie. Needless to say if you're looking for a decent movie to check out I'd recommend giving this a go. It will entertain you and also make you think a little about the problems others have.
It was all of the above, though I'd say less porn, there are some nude/sex scenes but they're really not the heart of the movie. The gore is well done, the acting is very good I think, and the overall slasher aspect is reasonable, though it could have been a little more creative.
Saying all of that none of it is what I'll remember this movie for. What really struck me in this movie was the portrayal of age and how it affects people and their relationships, I actually felt really sad for some of the characters in this movie, and that isn't usually how I'd expect to feel watching a slasher. It really did feel like the writers, directors,. And actors were trying to remind us of something whilst also making a decent slasher. I think it's to value our youth, and our lives as much as we can. I don't want to say much more as I don't want to spoil the movie. Needless to say if you're looking for a decent movie to check out I'd recommend giving this a go. It will entertain you and also make you think a little about the problems others have.
Did you know
- TriviaThe day after X (2022)'s South by Southwest premiere, writer/director Ti West revealed that during a mandatory two-week COVID-19 quarantine in his New Zealand hotel, before production could begin on this film, he wrote a prequel, Pearl (2022). A24 saw the script and greenlit the movie even before production on "X" had wrapped. He asked star Mia Goth if she wished to remain in New Zealand and film "Pearl," and she readily accepted. The prequel released later in 2022.
- GoofsThe film set in 1979 makes reference to missing persons ads on milk cartons. However, the first usage of milk cartons for missing persons was not until 1984.
- Crazy creditsThere are no opening credits. The title doesn't even appear on screen until the end.
- ConnectionsEdited into MaXXXine (2024)
- SoundtracksAct Naturally
Performed by Loretta Lynn
Written by Vonie Morrison, Johnny Russell
Courtesy of Geffen Records under license from Universal Music Enterprises
- How long is X?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $1,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $11,769,469
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $4,275,126
- Mar 20, 2022
- Gross worldwide
- $14,745,049
- Runtime1 hour 45 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.90 : 1
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