What is X rated, and is it OK for kids?

Real scares, several jump scares, and strong sex and nudity. The R is earned, so not for kids.

X (2022)

Film · 1h 46m · Rated R

Horror

Young filmmakers chase their dreams in rural Texas, but the cameras roll on a night of pulpy, gritty horror.

Suspenseful. A full-attention watch at a measured pace. Emotionally it is heavy.

Streaming on Prime Video, Hulu, Max, Kanopy (free), Hoopla (free), The Roku Channel (free) and 2 more.

Five more like this Get the app

X parents guide

Strong sex and nudity, and extreme gore, which is more than most R titles carry. Beyond that, real scares and several jump scares.

Scare: Properly scary; Frightening, not just tense.
Jump scares: Several; More than a couple of sudden jolts.
Gore: Extreme gore; Our top level for gore.
Violence: Brutal violence; Our top level for violence.
Sex and nudity: Strong; Strong means explicit or repeated sex, extended nudity, or sexual assault shown on screen, attempted or completed, even partly off screen. Any one of these is enough.
Language: Strong; Frequent strong profanity or slurs.

How we rate: an AI reads what is known about each title and tags it 0 to 3; we check the tags against a hand-rated set and correct them by hand when readers tell us. Estimates, not a scene-by-scene review. Spot a mistake? Tell us.

Three questions

Is X scary?: Yes, properly. X is the real thing without being an endurance test.
How gory is X?: Extreme gore and brutal violence. If graphic gore is a dealbreaker, skip it.
What is X rated, and is it OK for kids?: Real scares, several jump scares, and strong sex and nudity. The R is earned, so not for kids.

What is X about?

In 1979, a group of young filmmakers set out to make an adult film in rural Texas, but when their reclusive, elderly hosts catch them in the act, the cast find themselves fighting for their lives.

Does it have a happy ending? (spoiler-safe)

No. Brace yourself.