X (Ti West)

[WorldForgot]

Typically Ti West films have great atmosphere and communicate their themes subtly. Here we have trite atmosphere and heavy handed themes, so all that's left is pretty people doing typical slasher-business. Yes there is some "commentary" in there but without depth or emotional affect.

Its cast iz having so much fun though! I think all my enjoyment came from their performances. If only there were more script to chew into. Made me wish I were watching Trash Humpers or Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 instead 

But I'll always adore House of the Devil and The Innkeepers.

[polkablues]

SOME SPOILERS AHEAD

I was trying to figure out why this fell so flat for me, and it led me to a realization about horror movies. We react less to a character dying, and more to the other characters' reactions to that death. Like, we don't have an actual personal connection to these people, but we're able to feel empathy for the characters that do; we feel the deaths through them.

So why did X barely make me feel anything? With (if I remember right) one exception, every death in this movie takes place in a vacuum. Characters die, and the other characters aren't given a chance to find out about it and react to it. And except for the girl who got locked in the basement, all of the characters who are killed are killed before they know there's a reason to think they're in danger, so we're robbed of even that basic level of suspense. Even when the final girl character finds out that her boyfriend is dead, it happens so fleetingly (through overhearing dialogue, not even seeing it for herself), it barely gives her time to react to it.

All of this culminates in what feels less like a story and more like just a sequence of events, with very little emotional cause and effect to drive the narrative. This had all the ingredients to be great, but I don't think anyone will be remembering this movie a few years from now.

[WorldForgot]

Great observation! My friend and I were trying to figure out just why the actual horror bits felt so pointless, and I think you articulate it perfectly.