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. A film by Ti West, starring Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, Martin Henderson, Brittany Snow, Owen Campbell, Stephen Ure, and Scott Mescudi.

In rural Texas, 1979, Sheriff Dentler (James Gaylyn) and deputy Mitchell (Matthew Saville) arrive at a secluded farmhouse where Howard (Stephen Ure) lives with his wife, Pearl. There, they discover a horrific scene: multiple, brutally murdered corpses scattered throughout the property.

The film shifts to 24 hours earlier, introducing us to the main characters: Maxine (Mia Goth), a beautiful young woman aspiring to be a famous porn star; her producer boyfriend, Wayne (Martin Henderson); adult film actors Jackson (Scott Mescudi) and Bobby-Lynne (Brittany Snow); and the director, RJ (Owen Campbell), along with his girlfriend, Lorraine (Jenna Ortega). They travel to a farmhouse outside of town in Texas to shoot their new film, “The Farmer’s Daughters.”

Wayne made a reservation to rent Howard’s boarding house without telling him the true purpose: to shoot his adult film there. Upon arrival, Howard points his shotgun at Wayne thinking that he is trespassing on their land. Wayne reminds Howard that they spoke earlier on the phone about him renting the boarding house. Howard expresses his disapproval of the group, since Wayne never mentioned bringing others along. Howard makes it clear that he doesn’t like any of them. However, he asks them to be quiet because his wife is lying sick next door.

Maxine later encounters Pearl in the farmhouse while Howard is out running errands in town. Pearl laments about her past when she was a young and beautiful dancer. She blames the war, for taking away a part of her life. She expresses jealousy of Maxine’s youthful body. Pearl shows Maxine photos of her before the war; she looks almost exactly like Maxine. When Pearl discovers that Maxine is shooting a pornographic film with a man, she imagines herself in Maxine’s place. Pearl then attempts to make love with her husband Howard, but he turns her down, citing his heart problems.

Seeing the shoot piques Lorraine’s interest in taking part in the movie. Her director boyfriend RJ doesn’t think it’s a good idea and attempts to stop her. However, Lorraine persists and Wayne allows her to star in the movie. After shooting a scene with Lorraine, RJ becomes extremely distraught and decides to flee in the middle of the night. Unfortunately, Pearl stands in front of the gate, preventing him from driving away with a van. RJ steps out of the van to care for Pearl, but Pearl stabs him in the neck.

Directed, produced and edited by American filmmaker Ti West, X takes us by surprise channeling the vibes of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” X takes us on a surprising journey within the familiar territory of the slasher genre.

While the basic premise of a film crew terrorized by a murderous couple might seem like well-trodden ground, filmmaker Ti West injects unexpected twists and turns with his skillful direction, editing, and cinematography. The true brilliance of the film lies in the unpredictable rhythms and inventive killing techniques that keep the viewer on the edge of their seat, anticipating when and how the killer will strike. With high tension throughout, X deserves to be an instant slasher classic, featuring several memorably horrific scenes.

X premiered at SXSW on 13 March 2022. It was theatrically released in the United States on 18 March, by A24. The film grossed over $15 million worldwide, making it a box office success against a production budget of $1 million.