“X” (2022): How Difficult is it to Break Out of the Vicious Circle? Film Analysis.
Since it all coincided so beautifully, I will continue the theme of “Pearl” with its sequel, “X”. I also rated this movie highly, but if there’s one thing I’d be picky about, it’s the little lacunas in the action, which made me bored at times. But they were very few and maybe you won’t notice them at all.
The events of “X” unfold on the same farm as the sequel, 60 years later. The protagonist is again Mia Goth, splitting into the roles of the young porn actress Maxine and the old woman Pearl, who has been living on her farm all these years. Such a move emphasizes the nostalgic dialogue of the generations, the connection between which is sometimes stronger than it seems. After all, often the younger generation, with minor adjustments, repeats the fate of the older generation, despite the loud slogans like “I’ll get there! I will definitely live my life differently”. And, paradoxically, the chances of repeating “that” life exactly as they distance themselves from that very dialogue grows. In short, every Maxine is part Pearl and every Pearl is part Maxine.
The basic dramaturgy rests on this: Maxine, a member of the new age, has at heart the same difficulties that Parle has faced: a fierce resistance to obstacles and restrictive moral laws and a desire to succeed at all costs. Sixty years ago, Pearl made a timid (though not so timid) attempt to escape the paradigm her parents had condemned her to. And now that same question — to fight for her freedom or to let herself be defeated — is facing Maxine. In fact, the outcome remains unknown. However, the fact that she is the only survivor suggests one thing: only by many sacrifices, losses and suffering, only one in ten turns out to be “special” and can move on. The special ones survive. The special, or those who become special by accident, by chance.
However, Maxine’s future fate still remains in question. Did she turn out to be able to break out of the cycle of parental prophecies and finally “live the life she deserves,” or did she return to her father’s (slash deeply religious) home, believing in the divine intervention that helped her survive? Apparently, that’s what we’ll find out in the new sequel, due out later this year.
“X” speculates on the ambivalence and subtlety of the line between sex and death, youth and old age, reality and acting. This is emphasized by aesthetic techniques, including memorable stitching and clever camerawork (I can’t remember the technical details, so sorry). And lastly: you can see that this film is not taken out of the context of world cinema and is filled with cinephile references to both the classics and its own prequel, which adds another dimension to its texture.
