The films official trailer gave audiences a glimpse of each significant character, strategically shying away from mentioning anything that would reveal too much. The characters in X are a composition of filmmakers and crew off to shoot an adult film, which they have titled “The Farmer’s Daughter.” The film’s title gives one a hint of where this sadistic tale will live, thus revealing the backdrop of a decrepit farm where things are centered. However, the footage takes a darker turn once night approaches, flashing through images submerged in blood, screams, and truly startling moments. It’s unclear what direction the overall scope of the plot will take, but the footage provided audiences a glimpse into the madness.
The character posters released by A24 help highlight the five main characters caught in the sadistic plot. Ortega and Goth stand out amongst the diverse cast. Both are no strangers to the genre, with Ortega gaining notice in the third season of the Netflix original You and the recently released Scream. Goth is recognizable from her performance in A Cure for Wellness and the unconventional horror thriller Suspiria. The two are a part of a mixture that includes Snow and Mescudi, who each have their own varying experience with the genre. Henderson rounds out the significant pieces of the cast, known for his performance in Grey’s Anatomy and the Netflix original Virgin River. In addition, his horror dabbles consist of projects such as The Strangers: Prey at Night.
The character posters and footage do a great job building anticipation, tossing crumbs without giving too much of the story away. A specific element of surprise needs to be present to attract audiences to theaters, which these promotional pieces maintain for West’s newest project. “Their eyes are gonna pop out of their damn eyes when they see this,” states Martin Henderson’s character in the trailer, which is an experience A24 has created for many with its horror collection. West’s stylistic approach carries some heavy darkness in its core, but he looks to have fun with the elements at his disposal. How these characters will escape the horror is unknown, but it seems to be a bloody good time for everyone, except those caught in the madness.
As the tagline states, this film is “dying to show you a good time” and won’t hold back in any of the areas indicated in its R-rating. The film appears to have somewhat of a ’70s style, resembling tonal elements that were at play in 2003’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, which also took place on a secluded farm. West may have drawn inspiration from the 2003 film, but he will undoubtedly add a unique flair to his newly written and directed piece. A24 is known for its atypical approach to horror, and it looks like X will be a welcome addition to the catalog. It’s too early to tell how it will stack up to the studio’s other fearful endeavors, but it has the potential to stand on a platform all its own.
The film hopes to arrive soon, but the increasing coronavirus infection rates may subjugate the film to the fate others have recently had to face. Nevertheless, certain studios have refused to budge with their theatrical release schedule, and A24 may follow suit to bring this narrative to the big screen for all to see. As March approaches, one can only maintain optimism that X will deliver on its promise, providing audiences with R-rated horror, chaos, and bloodshed.
X will land in theaters on March 18, 2022.
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