With absolutely stunning cinematography and a powerhouse performance from Mia Goth- director Ti West continues to improve upon his formula in the X trilogy with his latest and so far best installment. I have to say I was running late to see this one, so I did miss about a minute at the very beginning. Nevertheless, what I did see impressed me just enough to leave a mark. Pearl is a very different film than X and a very different film than the trailer led to believe. It's a slow descent into madness that allows you to emphasize with the character in extraordinary new ways- not to mention the level of depth we are able to take into the mind of the titular character herself. Goth's performance is electric, and without it I feel the whole film would quite nearly fall apart. Everything in this film is relying on her, and yet Goth does so flawlessly it's hard to even notice. Between the extended monologue, the racing complexities, and he violent and sometimes rather unflattering scenes- Goth delivers on all fronts- especially through West and his tight woven script. The cinematography is absolutely outstanding, carrying a very retro vibe as the last film, but with a much different tone and a very different style. This time we are treated to more of a roaring 20's aesthetic- fit with a classic film vibe that is just so gorgeous to look at- it's hard to even take your eyes off the screen. Of course there are a few flaws here and there, there are a few familiar elements to this story, and a lot of predictable ones. If you are willing to shut off your brain and just enjoy though I think it's certainly worth the trip to the theater and is certainly an enjoying ride.
My Rating: 8.3/10.
My Rating: 8.3/10.