Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
In 1979, a group of young filmmakers set out to make an adult film in rural Texas, but when their reclusive, elderly hosts catch them in the act, the cast find themselves fighting for their lives.
Ti West's X is a loving and technically accomplished slasher pastiche set in 1979 Texas, with Roger Deakins-influenced cinematography and a strong visual identity that elevates it above genre peers. The dual-narrative structure exploring desire, aging, and existentialism gives it more thematic meat than the average slasher, and the period recreation is immaculate. However, the plot follows familiar slasher beats closely enough that it rarely surprises, and the ending feels rushed and somewhat anticlimactic after a well-built middle section. The performances are solid across the board — Mia Goth in particular does compelling dual work — but no single turn is genuinely exceptional. Novelty is middling: while West's craft is refined and the thematic layering is genuine, the film ultimately operates within well-worn genre conventions rather than transcending them.