Review: Ti West's 'X' is a celebration of exploitation cinema

X
3.5 out of 5 Stars
Director: Ti West
Writer: Ti West
Starring: Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, Brittany Snow, Kid Cudi, Martin Henderson, Owen Campbell
Genre: Horror
Rated: R for strong bloody violence and gore, strong sexual content, graphic nudity, drug use, and language

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) – Synopsis: A group of amateur filmmakers attempt to make an adult film in a rural, conservative Texas town. Their efforts do not go unnoticed.

Review: Set in 1979, director/writer Ti West's latest horror film “X” is a celebration of exploitation cinema. A mixture of sleaze, violence, and stereotypes that will undoubtedly appeal to some and offend many. Be warned, the poster might have A24 printed on it, but this is not the elevated horror of “Hereditary” or “The Witch.” The first hour of “X” is far closer to the studio’s “Spring Breakers” or “Red Rocket” with some blaxploitation thrown in. It’s mostly sex and set up. Then comes the final act; a bloody rush of backwoods chaos that would make Dario Argento squirm and Rob Zombie blush.

Regardless of your taste, that’s quite the accomplishment.

“X” features Mia Goth as Maxine, a cocaine-snorting topless dancer who, along with her co-worker Bobby-Lynne (Brittany Snow) go with their boss, Wayne (Martin Henderson), into the outlands of Texas to film a no-budget skin flick. They are joined by leading man Jackson (Kid Cudi), Bobby-Lynne’s sometimes boyfriend, RJ (Owen Campbell), an idealistic and inexperienced cinematographer, and his girlfriend Lorraine (Jenna Ortega).

Wayne has arranged to rent a home on the property of an elderly couple in a nowhere Texas town. He may have forgotten to mention the purpose of renting the home. Wayne is full of big ideas, unrealistic expectations, and charisma that just barely allows him to get away with flying by the seat of his pants.

The couple turn out to be old, incredibly weathered, and more than a little creepy. You don’t need to suffer from gerontophobia to know that whatever happens next is going to be set in motion by the senior citizens.

We’re dealing with stock characters, rather than fully formed individuals, but West does give the audience just enough to make them relatable. For instance, we learn that Jackson served in Vietnam as a Marine, well-endowed and can play a lovely acoustic version of “Landslide.” Bobby-Lynne wants a swimming pool where she can sunbathe topless. The old woman wants to be desirable again. Maxine, who is given the most screentime, is a mess. She’s clearly traumatized and a victim of who knows what (and maybe we do know what eventually). She’ll do anything to be someone. Her prospects aren’t great. It’s not all superfluous. It is often ambiguous.

The film isn’t exactly scary. A lot of the violence is telegraphed, but that gives the movie its most tense moments. You know what is coming. It’s just having to wait for it to happen that puts an uneasy anticipation in your stomach. The most unnerving moments have little to do with physical violence.

The cinematography is dark and soft. It helps to create the 1979 atmosphere. It isn’t always pretty to look at. My favorite moment is a scene that is smothered in red light and shadows. Most of the fine detail is lost. It looks like an old silent film. There’s a nod to Elizabeth Bathory in there as well.

“X” isn’t exactly my kind of horror film, but it is smarter than you might think.