Pearl

I know what you’re thinking. Hey, is this a spin-off movie based on Mr. Krabs’ daughter? No it has nothing to do with SpongeBob.

During production of “X,” Ti West brainstormed ideas for a prequel centering on the main antagonist’s origins. Mia Goth once again collaborates with Mr. West portraying “Pearl.” Set in 1918 in the middle Texas during the Spanish Flu, the titular character’s a farm girl of German immigrants who dreams of becoming a glamorous star. Fate intertwines when a local audition. Her crazed obsession and psychopathic tendencies leads to a path of destruction.

Released in September 2022 (same year The Whale came out) approximately six months after X, Pearl earned praise from critics and movie goers alike. Two Years Later, the final installment of “The X Trilogy,” “MaXXXine” also earned praise as well. Mia Goth will co-star with Matt Damon & Tom Holland in Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated epic fantasy film, “The Odyssey.” It’ll be released on July 17, 2026. Six days before my b-day.

Anyway, it’s Halloween Month. Meaning, I’ll be watching and posting Horror films throughout October. Which ones should I watch and review? Please leave a comment.

Today’s review contains no crucial SPOILERS

Clean & Messy Qualities

Clean: Mia Goth did an excellent job for her performance as the titular character. In addition to carrying the prequel, she also co-wrote the script and served as an executive producer.

David Corenswet did a great job for his performance. This is before he made it big as Superman.

Fun Facts

James Gunn casted Mr. Corenswet as Superman after seeing his performance in this film.
Given it’s a prequel, some Set Pieces from the first film are recycled. Smart tactic on budget cuts.
Martin Scorsese praised the prequel calling it “pure cinema.“

Random Thought: I deeply regret not seeing this film and MaXXXine. Had a lot of stuff to watch on my plate.

Ti West did a superb job directing. He also co-wrote the script and co-produced the prequel.

Sam Levinson (HBO’s Euphoria) served as an executive producer.

Death Scenes are not for the faint of heart.

Tyler Bates (Watchmen, 300, John Wick series) & Tim Williams orchestrated the soundtrack.

Cinematography mimics vibrant technicolor imagery of musicals back in the Golden Age of Hollywood. Most notably, “The Wizard of Oz.” Personally, I’m not a huge fan of musicals.

Pacing wasn’t a slow burn. I was hooked since the opening scene.

Pearl’s introduction officially establishes her personality.

Unlike Emma Stone’s *cough* “Cruella” *cough* Pearl crosses a huge line more than once. If you’re gonna make a villain based origin story, the character must do something horrendous as in Alex from “A Clockwork Orange.”

My favorite part is when Pearl auditions.

Call forwards to X. Makes you wanna rewatch the latter putting two and two together.

Like the aforementioned film above, the prequel takes place in Texas. I’m giving the latter an Extra Point. Because I’m a Texan myself.

Character Development involving Pearl. As the film progresses, she goes from a nice farm girl to a psychotic killer who loses her touch on reality. In the words of Two-Face/Harvey Dent in “The Dark Knight,” “You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.”

Although not fully present, Pearl’s husband, Howard, plays a pivotal role. You’ll have to see the film to understand the context.

Primary Themes are Ambition, Madness, Obsession, Dreams & Fame. Each one’s handled maturely.

Pearl delivers a lengthy monologue and a crying scene. Ms. Goth earns Bonus Points for pulling all that effort. I think Christopher Nolan casted her in The Odyssey upon seeing her performance. Meaning, she made it to the big leagues collaborating with my idol.

Pearl said “I’m a star!” Mark Wahlberg’s character, Dirk Diggler also said it in “Boogie Nights.”

Messy: I couldn’t find anything wrong. I’m giving Ti, Mia and the crew an Extra Point for making a flawless film as possible.

The Final Verdict: A, FOR APEX!

Unlike Disney’s House of Villains, Pearl is a legit villain based film. It’s up there along with “Joker,” A Clockwork Orange, “American Psycho” & James Gunn’s “The Suicide Squad.” If you haven’t seen Pearl, I strongly recommend it along with X & MaXXXine.