‘MaXXXine’ Review
Stars: Mia Goth, Halsey, Lily Collins, Elizabeth Debicki, Kevin Bacon, Halsey | Written and Directed by Ti West
Picking up six years after the events of X, Maxine Minx has hit the big time as an adult entertainment star. Looking to make her start as a bonafide actress, she hits Hollywood — but California in 1985 is also the home of the eponymous serial killer, the Night Stalker. As he makes his mark on Western America, Maxine’s old wounds come back to the surface… and all is not as it seems.
When 1970s slasher romp X landed on screens, it was largely a hit with critics and viewers alike. The surprise of prequel Pearl already being in production only exacerbated the positive vibes, offering a completely difference perspective not only on West’s vision but also Goth’s horror queen chops. All of this means that MaXXXine was resoundingly a shoo-in for the most anticipated movie of 2024 — but in some ways, it falls short.
Don’t get me wrong, having the bodacious and unashamed Maxine back on our screens is nothing but a joy. In the final chapter of the story, she’s finally embodying all that she wants, and she’s doing so with panache. As we saw the first time, Goth is easily asserting herself as a gem of the genre, toeing the line between being self-assured and arrestingly vulnerable. Her supporting cast equally matches her level (with perhaps the exception of Collins’ questionable Yorkshire accent), and the idea of the famed real-life killer being added to the mix is heady.
Where MaXXXine falls down, however, is in West’s decisions. Gone are the days of X’s careless frivolity or Pearl’s calculated melodramatic meltdown. This time around, West has clearly lost faith in his audience. His horror strategy is overexplained, leaving little room for nuance or interpretation — instead painfully spelling out his desired outcome for those watching. Nowhere is this more obvious than mentioning the Bates Motel while characters are stood right by it, not giving audiences any chance to see if they’re media literate.
When you commit to a genre that works best when partnered with the element of surprise, overexplaining is only going to highlight where the holes are in your narrative… something that sadly does happen in MaXXXine. In this instance, it’s the cursed third act, losing both its clarity and connection to the two acts that have come before it. It’s a less-than-satisfying result, and many of the sequences make little to no sense. Perhaps West has hidden these flaws in his craft this entire time, disguising weaknesses with bloody kills and healthy doses of sex.
While the final hurdle isn’t really pulling any punches, MaXXXine is still a horrifically good time. Even with its faults, it’s going to be painful to let the franchise go, particularly given the fact viewers have only just been introduced to a handful of new characters. It goes without saying that both West and Goth will continue to thrive in the genre… but whether they do so together is another thing entirely.
*** 3/5
MaXXXine is in cinemas now.
