X Delivers A Thought-Provoking Perspective On Sex
Sex and horror are synonymous with one another. In fact, the promiscuous girl is a significant trope in nearly ever slasher film that came out in the past 30 years. Given the premise of X, sex does happen, but it never comes across as sleazy or gratuitous. Ti West treats these characters with respect and more importantly, there’s actually an intelligent view point on the way adult stars see sex.
Ti West does an excellent job of counterbalancing that point with RJ and Lorraine’s story arc. RJ clearly doesn’t have the same values as his porn actors; however, Lorraine’s curiosity gets the best of her. X doesn’t treat sex like it’s a meaningless activity, as West understands it’s value and develops a story out of it. Even the villains of X play into the themes of sex that serve a purpose for their characters and subverts the traditional trope of deeming the act as a sinful activity that results in a harsh punishment.
X Became One Of The Best Modern Slasher Movies By Treating Its Characters With Respect
It takes nearly an hour for the kills to begin in X. That’s a rarity in the slasher genre, but Ti West spends that 50 plus minutes building to its strong climax. The characters have more depth beyond their jobs; Maxine has a dark past that’s she’s trying over come with her dreams of being a big star. Bobby is a young and free spirit. Jackson is a former military veteran who discovers his talents outside of the battlefield. I can easily cross examine every one of the core characters because the purpose of X isn’t just meant to be another gore fest.
The protagonists aren’t surface level names who care only about sex; they’re genuine people with personalities that differ from one another. Maxine and Bobby-Lynne Parker are not the same. That goes for Jackson and Wayne. The development of RJ and Lorraine really grabs you once the latter chooses to put herself into the film. However, X doesn’t just develop it’s protagonists, as Ti West crafts a pair of compelling villains.
The focus on the generation gap is well done as you understand the struggles and hatred of Howard and Pearl. These characters are more than your typical lunatics who kill without much of a purpose. They envy the freedom that these young people have as they feel trapped due to mother time slowing them down. Without a doubt, they’re evil people, but their tragic story paints a bigger picture that gives deeper insight about society.
The Kills Have Substance And Are Not Just For Gore
Since Ti West does an amazing job developing all of the characters within the film, each kill has an emotional impact that also gives more context to the overall arc that’s being presented. More often than not, the biggest problem in the horror genre tends to be that the protagonists are one-dimensional no names that were simply there to be killed. Each kill in X is brutal and violent, but not in an over-the-top matter that takes you out of the film. X is an old school slasher movie that delivers the goods on blood and gore, but has a surprising amount of depth that elevates it beyond your typical horror film, making it one of the genre’s best release in recent years.
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