MaXXXine is the concluding chapter (I think) in writer/director Ti West’s horror trilogy that started with X back in 2022. Being a fan of both X and Pearl, this was one of my most anticipated movies this year. While I did not enjoy it as much as the prior 2 movies, it is still very good.
The story picks up in the mid 80s with Maxine having already established herself as a successful adult star, and about to land her first part in a mainstream horror movie. It’s the next step in her ultimate plan to be a big star. But it seems that someone knows about Maxine’s past. She’s now being followed. And as people around her start to die, she might be next.
What I’ve liked about this trilogy is how each film has taken on a different style. X played out more like a slasher film. Pearl, on the other hand, came across (to me anyway) as a horror-based character study as we watch a young woman’s dream, and eventually her sanity, unravel. MaXXXine switches things up again and takes on an 80s feel, with the opening credits being the most 80s-looking thing I’ve seen in quite some time. It’s a change in look and style, and almost a genre switch as the whole movie comes across as more of an 80s police thriller than a true horror movie. It also serves as an indictment of Hollywood and show business in the 80s; you can give a great audition, but they’re still going to need to see you topless before you get the part.
As with X and Pearl, Mia Goth is excellent, making Maxine a more intriguing protagonist than you find in most horror films. An early audition scene provides a small showcase for Goth’s talent as well as highlighting Maxine’s unrelenting desire to be a star. She’s worth the price of admission on her own. But the rest of the cast is also good and filled with more recognizable names. The standouts are Kevin Bacon, adding a little menace as an unscrupulous private investigator, and Giancarlo Esposito, as Maxine’s wiling to do anything agent.
Even though MaXXXine does not offer much in the way of scares, it is a very entertaining movie. The only place it falls a little short is with the final act. It’s not bad, but perhaps a little underwhelming. The movie wisely chooses to keep the mystery of Maxine’s stalker until the final act, but it still feels like the reveal is a little too early. I feel it could have added more punch if the reveal was held back for just a little longer and kept the tension that had been building intact. Or maybe that’s just my expectations getting in the way.
If you are a fan of both X and Pearl, then you’re not really interested in what I think. You’re seeing this anyway. But if you’ve missed out on those movies (and like the genre), consider this a strong recommendation to see all 3. Although MaXXXine may be my least favourite of the bunch, it still provides a solid ending to this trilogy.
Have you seen MaXXXine? Are you planning to? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.