MaXXXine

Maxxxine is a film I have eagerly anticipated since it was teased as the final installment of Ti West's X trilogy. Having thoroughly enjoyed the first two films, I had high hopes for this one. Each film in the series brings a unique style that represents the period its set in.

2022s X was a gritty homage to the brutal horror films of the 1970s, with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre being a major influence. The same year, Pearl offered an even more stylistic approach, serving as a prequel with influences from the silent era and visual nods to The Wizard of Oz. These distinct stylistic choices set a high bar for Maxxxine.

In Maxxxine, we follow the lone survivor of the farmhouse massacres depicted in the first film. Now a bit older and blond...

Despite her rather florid past, the eponymous porn star (Mia Goth) is determined to make it in the mainstream and seems well on her way when director "Elizabeth Bender" (Elizabeth Debicki) casts her as the lead in the sequel to her own successful first feature. Whilst this is all going on for "Maxine Minx", there is a serial killer on the loose in Los Angeles and the police seem to think that maybe she is involved. Obviously she's not the perpetrator of these vicious acts, but might she somehow be the ultimate target? A rather curious meeting with private eye "Labat" (Kevin Bacon) suggests that she might want to go a mysterious address where she might learn the truth, but she has her own ideas so with the help of her agent/manager/enforcer ...

Maxine sure wants to be famous. I really hope she's got what it takes. Gotta give 110% if you want that big break! Do you want it? Maxine does.

Fun little revenge story. Leather gloves sure make your hands strong. Good humour.

Theres a lot to appreciate about MaXXXine, writer/director Ti Wests latest film in his horror trilogy, even if he doesnt quite stick the landing. The whole project feels like, as one of his characters says in one of the films most memorable lines, a B-movie with A+ ideas. Theres plenty of blood and gore to appease slasher fanatics, but theres a depth to the film that comes from the hefty themes about sex, opportunity, religion, and Hollywoods dark underbelly.

Set in Los Angeles in the mid-1980s, adult film star and aspiring big studio actress Maxine Minx (Mia Goth) finally gets her big break into the mainstream. Shes been cast in a supporting role in a horror movie sequel and is set to work with up-and-coming director Elizabeth Bender (E...

MAXXXINE holds many strong ideas & thematic weight, but fails to bring it all together in a cohesive, captivating fashion. Everything feels less than its predecessors, where the only outstanding constant is Mia Goth's terrific central performance. Underwhelming.

Rating: C

Maxxine is the third installment in a confusing trilogy of movies. After enduring the first film, X, which was essentially a low-quality adult film, and only partially watching the second film, Pearl, which was equally disappointing, I had low expectations for Maxxine.

Assuming it would follow the same pattern, I made sure no children were present before watching it alone. Surprisingly, Maxxine had less nudity, only appearing twice, compared to its predecessors. Instead, it focused more on horror and thriller elements, following an aspiring actress being stalked by a serial killer named Knight and another mysterious figure out to harm her.

While this film didn't win me over completely, I appreciated that it actually had a plot and som...

Maxxxine serves as a crowd-pleasing end to a strong trilogy. No fuss, no frills, decent pacing, with a more simplified action-focused plot. Lots of good gore, and perfect to kiss in the back of a cinema to. 8/10