The Mosley Review: X
If there ever was a great definition of a throwback, then this film is it. With all the horror films nowadays reaching back into last bit of the 80's and a good chunk of the 90's, it is a welcomed shake up for a film to reach way back into the 70's horror time period. What I really liked is that it wasn't exactly what the film was selling you upfront. A24 films are always the ones to surprise you in that respect and this film was no different. Not only was this film a throwback to the guerilla style of independent filmmaking, but also an homage and love letter to films that broke new ground in that time period. Most notably this film takes some inspiration from the likes of the original "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre", but with some modern techniques to give the gore in the film great texture. I had fun with the film and the genuinely awkward, funny and creepy moments.
Mia Goth was fantastic as the aspiring actress Maxine and I liked that even though she was a porn starlet, she did have a moral base. She wasn't as one note as she could've been and you start to see a little bit of corruption in her early on. Martin Henderson was fantastic as the producer Wayne Gilroy and captures that southern charm. He may be the slimiest of the crew, but he does have a decent idea of a bright future. Brittany Snow was perfect as the horny southern bell Bobby-Lynne. She was brash, fun, care free and you can't help but to love her. Scott Mescudi was hilarious and fun as the male porn star Jackson Hole. His moments with Bobby-Lynne were not just about the sex, but you kind of get a formation of a genuine bond. Owen Campbell was excellent as the young, naive filmmaker RJ Nichols and I loved his genuine dedication to making a film that'll "defy the genre". Jenna Ortega is on a roll as this is her third horror film this year. Once again she shines and as the shy sound engineer Lorraine, she gets a great character arc that soon turns into a nightmare. Stephen Ure was excellent as Howard the owner of the farm and he does an amazing job physically underneath the mountains of makeup. Mia Goth does double duty as she expertly portrays Howard's equally elderly, quiet and depressed wife Pearl. Mia has always been an amazing actress, but this was her best work so far. Her physicality, voice control and vulnerability was magnificent in the moments she's acting opposite her younger self and Howard. Even though they are absolutely deranged, there was a sweetness to them that you can't deny. No matter how morbid it may be.
The score by Tyler Bates and Chelsea Wolfe was excellent and well placed. The tension in every scene was perfect. Visually the film was great to look at and I loved that the farm wasn't overly shot. You really understand the layout of the property really well and that can be tricky in situations like this. There are moments in the film where I wish the characters could've been a little smarter. The film also had a morality tale within it as well which was surprising. Overall, the film delivers on the promise of being a love letter to 70's slashers, but I felt that it didn't go as far as it could've toward the last act. It felt rushed at times. Its still a good time for some truly fun gory moments and that great 70’s nostalgia. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
