PearlMovie Review: Ti West's Prequel To X Underwhelms & Offers Nothing New
Director Ti West is back with Pearl, a prequel to the horror film X, which released earlier this year. The latter introduced Pearl, the old woman who hungered for sex and youth, and the prequel horror film explores the character’s background, including how she got started killing people all those years ago. While X delivered on intriguing themes involving sex, the obsession with being young, and desire for fame, Pearl feels like a step backwards.
SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY Set in 1918, 60 years before X, Pearl wastes no time showcasing how miserable the titular character is while living on her parents’ farm. Pearl’s husband Howard is away fighting in World War I, which is coming to an end, and she’s left alone to tend to her sick father and the farm alongside her stern mother Ruth , a German immigrant. But Pearl hates the farm and dreams of becoming a dancer in the moving pictures.
For horror fans looking for a few thrills, Pearl is not the film to seek out. While it does a good job of making its lead terrifying and simultaneously sympathetic, the film can’t get a hold of its meandering plot. The story is haphazard at best, which leaves the final scenes feeling empty and lacking in horror, whereas they could have been chilling and devastating.
The lack of direction makes one wonder why a prequel about the violent Pearl was made at all. It’s not like the horror film serves any real purpose, especially since it fails to explore its leading lady any further than what has already been revealed about her. Pearl merely floats along to its ending, uninspiring in its execution. For those who may not have seen X, Pearl may be intriguing enough for them to go watch the original film.
Pearl premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival at midnight on September 13 and will release in theaters Friday, September 16. The film is 102 minutes long and is rated R for some strong violence, gore, strong sexual content and graphic nudity.
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