The Most Underrated Movies Of 2022

A24's horror fare has often gone in artsy directions, with an emphasis on long stretches of silence, meditative wide shots, and abstract imagery. "X," a title from the studio thrust into theaters in March 2022, goes down a different lane, with its horror influences being more in the vein of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," all while the 1970s porno scene looms large over the production. That doesn't mean this A24 horror flick isn't well-crafted — it's just a different beast compared to "Hereditary" or "The Witch." Like many other A24 horror films, though, "X" proves to be a compelling watch. 

As for the plot, the film follows a group of young filmmakers as they show up at a Texas ranch to make a very adult movie. Needless to say, things do not go according to plan. Writer/director Ti West isn't reinventing the mold here, but he doesn't need to. This is a film that conveys a giddy glee in playing with the grisly storytelling hallmarks of the slasher movie genre and getting audiences all riled up with anticipation by overtly teeing up gruesome ways for characters to perish (a movie like this doesn't just introduce a swamp full of gators for no reason).

In between all that fun, there's even an occasionally poignant undercurrent to "X" about mortality and who gets to be deemed "desirable" in modern society. These themes lend heft to the proceedings, but if you just want to watch "X" for the gore and titillation, there's plenty of that to satisfy. "X" is a departure from the standards of many other scary A24 titles, but following its own creative path serves it mighty well.