X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes

Appeals to viewers who enjoy thought-provoking science-fiction horror where a seemingly miraculous discovery gradually becomes psychologically and existentially disturbing.

Tone

eerie, cerebral, bleak

Payoff

unease, reflection

Pacing

steady

Intensity

moderate

Structure

linear

Themes

scientific hubris, forbidden knowledge, perception, obsession, isolation

Setting

mid-twentieth-century, medical laboratories, hospitals and neon-lit entertainment districts