As much as I loved X, the prequel Pearl just didn't work as well. I'm a big fan of the slow burn, but this one was too slow and the payoff wasn't worth the wait. Mia Goth is outstanding as the farm girl who wants to be a star, but it's not enough to carry this one.
I loved the way the movie was filmed and it really had an old-time feel to it, just as X had a very strong 70s feel. Pearl riding her bike to town even had a Wizard of Oz vibe. I think if they'd cut out a few scenes and shortened Pearl's seemingly endless monologue at the end, this would have been much better.
I'm giving it a C+ mainly on Mia Goth's performance.