My favorite part of the X films is their strong aesthetic vision, and Pearl is no exception—drawing on the appearance of early Technicolor and the melodrama of Douglas Sirk films, it's a delightfully campy pastiche.

| Dec 20, 2024

While I wasn’t blown away by Pearl, I still had a good time and got pretty much what I wanted from it: a deeper understanding of one of the most interesting new horror villains.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Nov 2, 2024

This demented, charming, Wizard of Oz-like horror is all the more disturbing because it doesn’t look like a horror movie.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Sep 18, 2024

Ti West returns to the X film series with his prequel Pearl, a stylish but uneven snapshot of a young woman’s descent into madness.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Sep 3, 2024

West and Goth beautifully translate the chilling dichotomy between good and evil with several allusions to The Wizard of Oz, as well as a general nod to the saccharine quality of old Disney films.

| Jul 20, 2024

Pearl the character may not be a star, but “Pearl” the movie is an absolute blast!

| Jul 17, 2024

Aesthetics aside, a movie like Pearl lives and dies off the lead performance, and Mia Goth delivers a show-stopping performance here.

| Original Score: 8.5/10 | Jul 12, 2024

Mia Goth dominates the film, given pretty much the entire screen to fill and the runtime to stretch her legs – this is entirely her domain and as Pearl she gives a horror performance for the ages.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Jul 5, 2024

All in all, "Pearl" doesn’t disappoint. While the film’s premise ponders the obsessive ambition and showcases its aftermath, the performances and costume design will impress scene after scene.

| Original Score: A- | Jun 22, 2024

For someone that loves classic films, there was a lot to admire here. With the lush colors, nods to cinematic history and eccentric characters, this is a film that non-horror audiences would find appreciation for.

| Original Score: 4/4 | Jun 19, 2024

West does a few things better than any director today. It is rare for a movie to show men being afraid before something happens

| Jun 2, 2024

As a prequel, it has some slasher moments that are amplified by Goth's sinister performance as the scream queen in the red dress, but unfortunately it frequents too many common places. [Full review in Spanish]

| Original Score: 6/10 | May 17, 2024

Technically a prequel to his earlier slasher film X (2022), Ti West’s Pearl comfortably stands up on its own as a bold, imaginative, and hugely effective work of horror.

| Original Score: 8/10 | May 4, 2024

My X-pectations were too high

| Original Score: B- | Apr 24, 2024

Ti West’s prequel cements the “X” Cinematic Universe as a force to be reckoned with.

| Nov 2, 2023

A mutli-layered exploration of womanhood in relation to exposure and performance.

| Original Score: 8.1/10 | Oct 29, 2023

To make all this work Pearl needs a star, and it has it in Goth, whose powerhouse performance elevates what could so easily be a cartoon villain.

| Sep 19, 2023

Pearl's journey mimics that of Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz. With a little more blood spatter than glittery shoes.

| Aug 6, 2023

You see West making more creative decisions and playing with different scenarios rather than sticking to the same old tricks up his sleeve. He reinvents himself, and with that comes a gem of a horror picture.

| Original Score: B | Jul 29, 2023

A great horror film that captures the dawning age of cinema beautifully well. Also has a great performance by Mia Goth that deserves all the awards she gets for her performance.

| Original Score: 5/5 | Jul 22, 2023