A Review of the 'X' Trilogy
Let's unpack the X trilogy...
*This review contains spoilers*
At the start of the year, I challenged myself to watch more film (not a hard challenge, I know, I could’ve challenged myself to run 10K or something, but here we are). Before this, I could probably count the number of movies I had seen on my fingers.
The more movies I would watch, the more I would find myself going down rabbit holes. My favourite genres of film are definitely thriller, slashers, and horror, so it didn’t take long for the hype around X and its sequel, Pearl to reach me. It was at this time that I learnt that the final part of the ‘X’ series - Maxxxine - was due to release later in the year. So of course I had to watch them all.
X (2022)
I first watched X in January of this year. I went into it knowing absolutely nothing so it was a complete blind-watch.
X is a modern and refreshing take on horror. It can be compared to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, not only because it is set in 70s rural Texas, but also because of the similarities between scenes too. Films like this I know I will always enjoy. They don’t have to be perfect, but the style and exciting pace makes them worth while. For me, X is the perfect example of a modern-day erotic slasher and I think that Ti West did a great job.
In X, a young cast and crew travel to a rural farm in Texas to film their upcoming pornographic movie. It is on this farm that they meet Pearl and her husband, Howard. Throughout X, Maxine (Mia Goth) reiterates that her dream is to become a star.
“I will not accept a life I do not deserve”
Maxine dreams of a life in the spotlight and will stop at nothing to achieve this. It doesn’t take long for Pearl to recognise herself in Maxine. 80 year-old Pearl once had the same dreams as Maxine, only hers didn’t become a reality, despite how badly she wanted them to. This sparks resentment from Pearl and the events that unfold are a result of Pearl’s jealously and past.
The final 30 minutes of the film are full of tense, scary scenes that really excite and grip a viewer. One of my personal favourite parts of this movie is Lorraine’s (Jenna Ortega) scream. I didn’t doubt for a second that Jenna Ortega was capable of *that* perfect horror movie scream (She is in the scream movies after all) but ahh! I love it in this film!
You can’t talk about the X trilogy without talking about Mia Goth. Mia Goth makes the X trilogy. Her performance never fails, and I’d be lying if I said this movie isn’t responsible for my love for Mia Goth. As if the parallels between the Maxine and Pearl weren’t enough already, I find it fascinating that Goth is so involved in the trilogy that she plays Maxine in X and Pearl in the sequel, too.
It wasn’t until I rewatched X for the second time that I learnt she also plays old Pearl? I was so shocked! The SFX makeup for Pearl was insane and I genuinely had no idea that it was Mia Goth. This speaks even more to Mia’s insane performance in this film.
X is a solid horror film. It does a great job at contemporary slasher/horror and has a great cast, too. For this reason, I would place X in 2nd place.
Rating: ★★★.5/5
Pearl (2022)
Pearl is without a doubt my favourite installment of the X trilogy. There is something about this film that I really love, and I can’t exactly put my finger on why but I will attempt to explain the best I can.
First of all, again, Mia Goth. Yes, maybe I am just in love with Mia Goth, but honestly, Pearl is practically her movie. Pearl was released only 6 months after X, and tells the back story of Pearl, the old lady from the farm.
Pearl is set in 1918, 60 years before the events seen in X took place. It shows Pearl growing up on the farm in Texas with her German immigrant parents, while her husband, Howard (also in X) served in World War I.
I love seeing the backstory of a villain. Especially in the context of X because there was clearly some jealously towards Maxine and Pearl does a great job at showing exactly why. It shows the extreme lengths that Pearl went through and sacrifices she made to be a “star” but ultimately, her dreams did not come true.
Watching these two films you can really see the passion that went into making them and that West and Goth genuinely enjoyed X, so much so that they went on to tell Pearl’s story too. It makes for some really cool crossovers between X and Pearl and is honestly one of the reasons I love both films as much as I do.
The pure rage in this film is also incredible. It even makes the viewer have sympathy for Pearl. You can see how much she wants a different life and she wants to find a way off the farm. This deep lust for fame and a new life leads Pearl to insanity, and she truly believes she can only escape her strict parents by killing them. By the end of the film, she has nothing left. Howard is still away at war, her parents are dead, her suitcases are packed, and everything in her life boils down to the audition. It really gives a new meaning to when she says to her sister-in-law, Mitsy, “it has to be me” simply because she had put so much on the line.
After Pearl is unsuccessful in her audition, she is distraught. Not only because of the outcome but because of the things she has sacrificed to be there, and now she has no family, and no success either. Was it even worth it?
“Please, I’m a star!”
Pearl’s monologue at the end of the film was unexpected but powerful. She sits with Mitsy and opens up to her as if she were Howard. It is here where Pearl tells Mitsy everything: her dreams, her parents, everything she has done leading up to this point. She starts to get emotional while Mitsy finds herself scared and fearing for her life, but desperately trying to act normal to remain safe. We don’t know for sure if Mitsy genuinely didn’t get the part, or was just pretending so that Pearl wouldn’t be more upset.
After Pearl confesses everything, Mitsy makes a quick escape, but Pearl can’t let it happen. She chases Mitsy and eventually stabs her dead with an axe. This scene is also a favourite simply because of how much it builds suspense. The music and the way it is shot makes you feel so close to the chase.
And who can forget the iconic ending, when Howard arrives to see the state of the house, Pearl’s dead parents dressed up around the dinner table, and Pearl greets him with the uncomfortably long, strained smile that goes on for so long that it actually becomes comedic.
There’s so much more I can talk about when it comes to Pearl, but as a summary, it is just great! I will always recommend Pearl as being the simple yet amazing, modern slasher. For this reason, it is my favourite of the trilogy.
Rating: ★★★★/5
MaXXXine (2024)
Following the success of both X and Pearl two years prior, Maxxxine had some big boots to fill. Perhaps the pressure of living up to the hype of its predecessors set the film off on the wrong foot, or maybe this was the plan for the story all along. Maxxxine is by no means a bad film, it is just hard to be considered a great one when you can’t help but compare it to X and Pearl.
Don’t get me wrong I kind of expected it to be different. X and Pearl were set on the same farm, Maxxxine had moved the story to Hollywood, so there was bound to be a big switch in the style and story. Ultimately though, Maxxxine could not live up to its two older sisters.
Maxxxine is set in 80s Hollywood. I love anything set in the 80s! I love the music, the style, the hair, combine that with horror and I’m always bound to enjoy it at the very least. I was excited to see the progression of Maxine and what had happened from the ending of X to now. While Maxine still had traces of her strong personality seen in X, it had been toned down. This could be because scenes that took place at the end of X had a lasting effect on her (as seen later in the film) or maybe less attention was placed on Maxine being a big personality, and more on setting the scene of her new lifestyle.
Maxxxine is undeniably more fast paced because the kills are spread throughout. The film takes a step up from the gore seen in X and Pearl. It is less slasher-style and verges more on horror/thriller. I do prefer slasher and I do prefer the action in X, but the gore is still good. Maxxxine introduces lots of new characters and friends in Maxine’s life which is interesting, though I did cringe a bit at Lily Collins’ accent.
X and Pearl do a great job at being simple but impactful, whereas Maxxxine is more flamboyant, more complicated, with lots more going on. It almost feels separate from the rest because of the big leap it takes, but again, I feel that its to be expected when Maxine has gone from rural Texas to Hollywood.
The ending becomes a little meh, a little far-fetched, which is a feeling I didn’t have with the previous films. I guess we are supposed to assume that Maxine didn’t suffer any repercussions for shooting her dad, despite being told to drop the weapon. It feels like there was a gap in the timeline that the audience is supposed to fill themselves. In the end, she is clear of her past, famous for her role in ‘The Puritan 2’ and adored by many.
Some may disagree but I still enjoyed Maxxxine. It’s been a month since I saw it and after giving it some time to settle I can say yes, it is the weakest of the trilogy, but nonetheless, still an enjoyable, fast paced movie with great production, cinematography, and costume design.
Rating: ★★★/5
X and Pearl remain as some of my favourite movies. The simplicity of the two is what makes them so impactful and everything about them is chef’s kiss - Ti West was clearly on to something with those films. The trilogy wouldn’t be what it is without Mia Goth either, I firmly believe she takes each movie up a level and she plays the characters of both Maxine and Pearl (old and young) so well.
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It's a really fun trilogy but Pearl stands above the other two for me. It's got a lovely, off kilter Wizard of Oz vibe and I think Goth's performance is her best of the three. No wait, four.
I researched Pearl recently and it’s def the best in the trilogy. I have maxxxine as next best just for how odd it was. Great write up of the 3! Mia goth is a gem!