"X" is the first released film in a new trilogy by writer/director Ti West and starring Mia Goth in all three films. Chronologically, "X" is the middle film in the narrative and takes places in 1978, preceded by "Pearl" which takes place in 1918, and then the series wraps up with "Maxxine" in 1985. "X" and "Pearl" were filmed back-to-back during the height of Covid, allowing Ti West to make the most of the location that was used in both films.
Maxine is girl who knows what she wants and quotes "I will not accept a life I do not deserve". She also declares "you're a fucking sex symbol" to her reflection in the mirror, right before leaving for a X-rated film shoot out at a remote farm. Coming along is her boyfriend Wayne, fellow exotic dancer Bobby-Lynne and her primary scene partner Jackson, and director RJ and his shy girlfriend Lorraine. After a misunderstanding with the property owner Howard, the crew quickly gets to work. With her scene coming up later in the day, Maxine walks around the property and runs into Pearl, Howard's wife. Invited into the house, Pearl becomes almost obsessive over Maxine, showing her an old picture from her youth where the two look nearly identical. Maxine is able to get out of the house right before Howard returns.
Pearl secretly watches Maxine film her sex scene in the barn, which entices her to seduce Howard. He says he can't, and this triggers Pearl's unhealthy murderous tendencies. Her first victim is RJ, who she finds after he decides to leave the project after Lorraine requests to be in the film with the others. Then one by one the group is separated. Waye is killed by Pearl in the barn, while Howard locks Lorraine in the basement and then takes Jackson out to the river under the pretense that they are looking for his confused wife. Pearl sneaks into bed while Maxine is sleeping and molests her. Pearl quickly leaves when Maxine wakes up screaming. Bobby-Lynne tries to help Pearl, who is standing on a dock naked, but Pearl pusher her into the river where a large alligator quickly kills the young woman.
Lorraine escapes the basement only to be killed by Howard using a shotgun. Howard dies as he and Pearl tries to move the body. Maxine narrowly misses being shot Pearl, how is thrown back by the kickback of the gun. Pearl is finally killed when Maxine drives the van over her head. It's only at the end that we learn that Maxine is the daughter of a popular tv preacher, who constantly shown on the tv throughout the film.
"X" is comprised of some great talent such as Brittany Snow (Would You Rather) as Bobby-Lynne, Martin Henderson (The Ring) as Wayne, Jenna Ortega as Lorraine, and of course Mia Goth as Maxine. This film is Ti West's return to horror, having been nine years since he had made "The Sacrament".
Fun detail - Plowing Service is painted on the side of the van the group drives to the farm in, a humorous innuendo that add levity to a dark film.
No comments:
Post a Comment