Ty West’s X follows a group of filmmakers making a pornographic film in rural Texas unbeknownst to the elderly couple renting them the cabin. When the couple discovers the truth, the group priority shifts from moviemaking to survival. X taps into the nostalgia for classic older horror films and, through some subversion, surprises audiences like memorable classics. Ty West directs a horror that moves beyond simple slaughter. He expands into a broader discussion of religion, sexuality, and gender, thereby making X a slasher joyride with something more to say.