Alligators. Porn. Geriatric sex. Really, what is not to love here?

Ti West splashed onto the horror scene in 2009 after making the low-budget, slow-burn 70s throwback horror The House of the Devil. Devil was good, but it was dragged down by a woman housesitting alone plot that required Jocelin Donahue to carry the second act by herself. Still, West’s talent and remarkable patience as a storyteller were undeniable.

In many ways, X marks a return to form (though I did enjoy Sacrament) after West’s foray into directing television. All the elements that made The House of the Devil an eye-raising experience are still there. But now, West is working with a full cast of characters and his making an “elevated porno” plot is a little bit meta and a whole lot of fun. The result is a film that’s GREAT!

Set in 1979, the beginning of X is intentionally reminiscent of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. There is a police investigation taking place and dead bodies covered in blankets are littered everywhere. But the crime scene takes a stranger turn when the Sheriff is directed downstairs. What is it the police found on the basement wall? 

Next, we flashback 24 hours and are introduced to a group of ambitious young adults looking to make their mark on the porn industry at the time when V/H/S was changing the landscape. The group consists of three couples, the producer (Martin Henderson) and his ambitious starlet (Mia Goth), the experienced porn stars (Kid Cudi and Brittney Snow), and the crew (Owen Campbell and Jenna Ortega). It is a fantastic ensemble and one that will probably look even more impressive after these actors’ filmography grows.

The porno the group hopes to shoot is called “The Farmer’s Daughter”. To get access to a farm, the group rents out the guesthouse at an old farmhouse that is looking for boarders. But the elderly couple that runs the farm don’t seem the type that would approve of the group’s plans. And the husband, Howard, (Stephane Ure) is a little too fond of carrying around his shotgun. So the crew decides to film their movie in secret.

X may not play out differently than one might expect, but the path that gets us there is full of surprises. The elderly Pearl (Mia Goth, again in a dual role) is this film’s wild card. Her motivations intentionally defy our expectations, though that is partly because West has used intentionally religious zealousness as a red herring. If you are expecting the couple to be looking to smite those awful, heathenistic young people because of their wild and free lifestyle, you’re wrong. But don’t feel too bad for falling for West’s deliberate misdirection. What he has in mind is so much more interesting.

Not to discourage the performances of the others, as Kudi, Snow and Ortega are fantastic with the material, but it’s hard not to view X as a launching point for Mia Goth. She gets to play a dual role as both the lead girl and main killer. If (though after seeing X, it is probably more accurate to say “when”) her career takes off, this role will be seen as a significant step. As Maxine Minx, a girl who sees porn and her producer boyfriend as a means to fame, she is convincing. But in the role of the elderly Pearl, she really shines. In fact, many have watched X without realizing that Maxine and Pearl were being played by the same actress. Clearly West had a pretty good idea how convincing this transformation is, which is why he often has situations where both interact. And knowing the two are played by Goth only adds an extra level of meta to their conversations.

Also, the make-up that helps to transform Goth and Ure is fantastic. Yes, it is still pretty obvious that younger actors are playing the roles of the elderly couple. On screen, they look unnaturally old. But personally, I didn’t mind because it only adds to their creepiness to their presence.  

But for me, X’s real selling point is how enjoyable each of its acts are. Had this only been a movie about making an ambitious low-budget porno, I probably would have been fine. The first hour does not need much horror to be entertaining. And truthfully, making X looks like the most fun West has had as a director.

But the prologue showed us that tragedy is just around the corner. Then, there is that alligator scene to remind us why West has earned his reputation in the horror community.     

X takes all of those elements that West does well- slow-building tension, inspired cinematography, self-aware exploitation and sly 70s homages- and delivers them in his most entertaining package to date. It is a film I could re-watch again and again. I left wanting more- again West delivers. X is actually the first installment of a trilogy, with all three films starring Mia Goth. (West filmed his prequel Pearl on the heels of shooting X, with Goth showing us the origins of her killer. And some time soon we will be treated to a 80s sequel to X called MaXXXine.)

Since the pandemic, it seems like the number of really good horror films has gone from a geyser to a trickle. Fortunately for us left longing, Ti West has hit stride at the right time.