In recent years, there’s been few better signs pointing to a movie’s quality than seeing the A24 logo attached to it. This studio has become a household name, producing some truly memorable flicks spanning multiple genres including sci-fi, coming of age and most recently horror, with their latest entry “X.” A24 is known for their new and unique takes on classic horror tropes. I was quite excited to see their next entry into the genre after seeing masterpieces such as “Hereditary” and “The Lighthouse.” So, how does this film stack up against the rest of A24’s stellar lineup?
“X” stars a crew of filmmakers traveling to an old farmhouse to shoot a pornographic film. The farmhouse’s elderly owner is standoffish upon meeting them, and his wife seems to do nothing but stare at them. That is, until she meets some of the members, taking an uncanny interest in them and lamenting about the loss of her youth and beauty. As the shoot progresses, the intentions of the owner and his wife become more and more apparent. In the style of 70’s slasher movies such as “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” the movie revolves around the filmmakers’ attempts to escape from the farmhouse and avoid death at the hands of the people that live there.
“X” differs from other A24 horror films in the sense that there’s nothing supernatural or cultish going on. Just an evil elderly couple obsessed with youth using all the tools at their disposal, such as nails, a pitchfork and alligators. I was also pleasantly surprised with how the characters were written. I found them all extremely likable and interesting, something you don’t usually see in the cast of a slasher film. Not only does this aspect make the film much more watchable, the fleshed-out characters help build the tension throughout it, since the audience is actively rooting for them to make it out alive. “X” also showcases A24’s mastery of using cringeworthy body horror. There were multiple scenes that almost made me shield my eyes, which is a testament to A24’s talent. “X” also has gorgeous cinematography, which is used incredibly well during particularly unnerving scenes such as a later scene in the pond.
Despite its impressive craftsmanship, “X,” still felt, for lack of a better word, predictable. The “creepy farmhouse in the middle of nowhere” trope has been done to death by so many other horror movies, and “X” doesn’t go beyond that in terms of its concept. The protagonists were well written, but the antagonists (the elderly couple) left much to be desired. The audience doesn’t really get any information about them besides they’re old and they want to be young again, so they just…hate young people, I guess.
The most glaring issue I had with “X,” and the main reason it felt generic, is its excessive use of jump scares. A24 horror movies rarely use jump scares, the closest thing I can think of is a loud telephone ringing in the beginning of “Midsommar.” The lack of jump scares is a good thing in my opinion and is what sets these movies apart and makes them truly loveable. Jump scares are usually a cheap and lazy tactic used by screenwriters who lack the talent to create a compelling story and are peppered throughout subpar horror movies to distract from the terrible writing and lack of originality. I was unpleasantly surprised by the amount of jump scares utilized in “X,” especially since they weren’t done in new or original ways. I honestly expected better from A24.
The genericness of “X” wasn’t enough to stop me from enjoying it, thankfully. It still did a great job keeping me at the edge of my seat, and scaring me from time to time, as all horror movies should. But it just doesn’t hold up when compared to the rest of A24’s lineup, even if you narrow it down to their horror films. It’s not a masterpiece, but if you’re in the mood for a modern-day Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and have a bad taste left in your mouth from that god-awful Netflix reboot, you’ll probably find “X” enjoyable.
Will Duffy can be reached at [email protected].
