Horror villains can be characterised by their weapon, a mask, their style of killing and more. This origin story set in 1918 during the Spanish Flu pandemic centres on the psychology of the octogenarian killer, Pearl (an astonishing Mia Goth), from writer-director Ti West’s homage to radical 1970s cinema, X.

The axe-wielding, alligator loving anti-heroine just wants to be loved and dreams of being a big star but her extreme response to rejection sets her off on a path of fury and destruction. The prequel to X is part of a planned trilogy of films (MaXXXine is due to be released shortly) with West expertly executing a twisted Technicolor love letter to the Golden Age of Hollywood.

Co-written by Goth and West and set on the same Texas farm as X, together the pair have created a menacing and gleefully violent character portrait of a woman bound by loneliness and sexual repression. Stuck at home, she’s a caregiver to her wheelchair-bound father, lives in fear of a strict mother and is pining over a husband who is off at war. Her only escape is the cinema, a place where she meets a charismatic projectionist (David Corenswet), who promises her fame and glory. She’s in awe of the silver screen while he’s enamoured with porn (an archived clip from the Kinsey Institute is used in the film); it’s a doomed love affair from the start.

Using the trappings of melodrama, and taking inspiration from The Wizard of Oz and A Star is Born (1954) the film relishes in impassioned dialogue, including a nine-minute monologue with Goth impressively channelling Judy Garland at points.

Goth’s powerhouse performance is shot through with both a mischievous and desperately sad giddiness that never lets up. Her turn works perfectly alongside the alluring highly saturated coloured canvas on which acts of unspeakable cruelty play out, setting an uncanny atmosphere packed full of dread, mayhem and dark humour.

Pearl will be released in UK cinemas on 17 March. Find more reviews at SciFiNow