X (2022) — A Vintage Road Trip Slasher That Subverts The Horror Genre

My reaction. It’s literally one big spoiler. You’ve been warned.

So, it goes without saying, but if you haven’t already seen the 2022 film X, starring Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, Brittany Snow, Kid Cudi and Martin Henderson, you probably want to stop reading now.

I’m giving away a major underlying theme of the story, at least how I interpret it, anyways.

The movie is best experienced with as little input as possible. At least the first time.

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One of the most important themes in X is virginity. Or rather, the concept of purity and innocence.

This is interesting because, as far as I can tell, no one in the film is an actual virgin. At least not in the physical sense.

Not even, “Church mouse” (Lorraine, played by Ortega).

She‘s extremely introverted in ways that do a disservice to her persona.

But I never get the sense that this is her first rodeo.

What she is, however, is innocent.

It’s clear from the beginning that this isn’t her world.

One imagines that Maxine (Goth) and Bobby-Lynne (Snow) have lived a thousand lifetimes as adult film stars, braving the depths of the world as adventurous thrill-seekers at some points and living on the…