X — When Horror Shocks You (With a Love Story)
A horror movie that actually surprises me (in a good way) is a rare gift from the heavens.
As much as I love horror, I must say that I am very picky when it comes to what I think “high-quality” horror is. But I think that just stems from me being a hardcore fan. I want to see horror films do well, and when they end up being lackluster, I just end up extremely disappointed.
And while the first half of this decade has delivered some stinkers, I must admit that I’ve found myself surprised by a lot of recent horror movies. Take 2022’s Barbarian, a film that I have already talked about on this site. It was a film that played with danger when it came to marketing, opting to give little away rather than show every little scare just to try and coax people into seeing it — something that many, if not most, modern horror movies refuse to do in fear of low box office numbers. But Barbarian’s mystery is what drew me in, and I ended up leaving the theater pleasantly surprised with what I had watched.
Other movies released in the past few years, including Skinamarink, Talk To Me, and 2024’s recent release Longlegs (as just a few examples) have left me with that same feeling — a feeling that there is hope for the horror genre.
There is another movie, however, that thrilled me enough to put it on my list of my top ten favorite films of 2022: Ti West’s X. And, with it’s sequel, Maxxxine, having just released, I thought that now is as good a time as ever to finally talk about it. I will warn you, however: I will be discussing the plot at great lengths, so if X is a movie you have yet to see, this is your warning.
Spoilers lay ahead.
Marketing, Marketing, Marketing
I can’t say that X surprised me in the same way that Barbarian did. While Barbarian’s trailers kept most of its plot obscured, X made it very clear what it was going to be: a slasher that follows amateur porn stars getting killed. However, why they were being killed was the mystery. We get hints in the trailer: an old man’s wife, Pearl, isn’t “well.” But the trigger — what sets her on a killing spree — is not shared. We don’t know that the husband is totally in on it. We don’t know that this isn’t the couple’s first rodeo. We don’t even know that the sex is going to be more than just an auxiliary and instead be completely integral to the plot (more on that later). That’s the biggest surprise.
Sure, who dies is very easy to see coming. The trailer practically shows us. But the mystery is what leads to the killing. This isn’t some slasher starring Jason or Michael where we know killing is just in their nature. The motivation behind Pearl is completely hidden from us. Honestly, it’s probably the biggest revelation in the film.
But again, more on that later.
Beauty in the Bloodshed
While plenty of viewers will say the gore or the excess nudity are what make X stand out, I think that the cinematography is what leaves the biggest impression. In fact, I think West goes beyond what anyone expected a 70s/80s throwback slasher to have. With beautiful scenic shots, West perfectly captures the rustic setting, while lingering shots from all sorts of different angles helps build suspense and show the grotesque, sometimes funny, and oftentimes uncomfortable imagery littered throughout the film.
One of the most memorable shots in the film, at least in my opinion, is when Maxine is swimming in the pond, heading back to the dock. Unbeknownst to her, there’s a giant croc following directly behind her, and the overhead shot perfectly showcases the danger going completely unnoticed by the protagonist. The shot is so simple, yet its ability to showcase scenery, danger, and complete disregard all in one shot makes it stand out in a film full of other phenomenal shots.
But, of course, the gore is great, too. West proves himself as being unafraid to give us gruesome deaths that make us wince and laugh all at the same time. Even with its gorgeous cinematography, it’s not a film that takes itself too seriously. It knows what it is: a throwback to 70s and 80s B-movies meant to showcase intense gore above anything else. It’s a movie perfectly geared towards maturing teenagers who just want to have fun by looking at boobs and watching people die.
And while this is what X is on the surface, deep down it’s something more…
A Real Love
I can understand why people may be a bit thrown off by the vulgarity of this film’s premise. It is, after all, a film riddled with more boobs and butts than most modern horror films. Yet, for what it’s worth, the sexual nature of the film wasn’t something that was omitted from the marketing. It was very clear from the start that this was going to be a movie that unabashedly pushed some form of boundary. The interesting part is that Ti West worked it all seamlessly into the plot so that it feels absolutely necessary. The nudity showcased in this film isn’t what I would consider gratuitous — instead, I would consider it as completely crucial to the plot.
Now, you may be thinking, “Of course this male is okay with seeing naked women on the big screen.” But I think you’re missing the point. See, while X is a film about sex, it’s also a film about jealousy, insecurity, and growing old. The old couple, Howard and Pearl, have reached a point in their lives where their age is getting in the way. Pearl feels ugly, especially when she compares herself to the young women she sees flaunting their bodies while shooting an adult film. Howard can’t get off because his heart just wouldn’t take it, which rules out any sexual intercourse between the two. They both can’t get what they want… so they resort to killing those that inadvertently rub it in.
While that sounds like a very odd plot for a horror movie, it works so well because it’s something so many horror directors have been too afraid to touch. The negative aspects of growing old are no strangers to being turned into plot themes, but rarely is the sexual aspect ever talked about. Ti West decided to tell a story exactly about that while opting out of keeping the sex ambiguous. He wanted the audience to see everything — minus the bits that would give this film an X rating, as fitting as that would be.
The interesting bit about all of this, however, is how West handles the sex. See, like most porn, the emotions recorded on camera for the main characters’ amateur film is all fake. It’s acting. There is no real passion behind the sex we see. And while that speaks volumes about the passionless world of pornography, it also allows us to see real passion when Pearl and Howard finally get it on. For me, this is a bit weird to talk about — just like how it’s a bit weird to watch — but I do think it is true: there is passion behind Howard’s and Pearl’s wooing, a passion that all the sex we see before heavily lacked.
So, while X is a great horror film with great tension and gore, it is also a story about what real love looks like and what for-entertainment-purposes-only love looks like. Bet you didn’t expect that breakdown when coming into this, did ya?
In Conclusion
This may have been a weird review/opinion piece/exploration/whatever you want to call it, but I wanted to make my point very clear because this is what horror can be. No, I’m not talking about the sex or the gore. I’m talking about the themes. Horror has this unique ability to touch on themes and fears that other genres would be too afraid to get close to. Horror is a genre solely reliant on the real world to help guide it through real fears felt by real people. How do you make those fears easier to handle? By watching fictional characters whose shoes you’ll never have to walk in suffer while you sit safely on your couch.
X is one of those films that takes an aspect of life often pushed aside to avoid uncomfortable situations and unabashedly tells a horrific yet beautiful story about real love vs. fake, passionless love. Just try and ignore the bit about them being unflinching killers… It’s romantic, I swear.
I don’t think more people need to tackle these themes. X stands out because it’s a rarity. The more people that decide to follow in West’s footsteps, the less rare it becomes. But if X does anything, I want it to inspire other filmmakers — specifically those in the world of horror — to take a look at themes that aren’t often talked about and just roll with it. Get creative, be unafraid, keep stuff a mystery, and just roll with it.
I’m super excited to see what this genre offers next.
